We will listen and learn!#BlackLivesMattters pic.twitter.com/AYoYdY8IlX
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 7, 2020
With racial tensions at an all-time high, several NASCAR drivers released a video speaking about racial injustices in our nation. The video starts off with Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s sole African American driver in the sport. Wallace has been very vocal about his opinion on the matter, he was seen sporting an “I Can’t Breathe” shirt under his race suit.
There is only 1 driver from an African American background at the top level of our sport..I am the 1. You’re not gonna stop hearing about “the black driver” for years. Embrace it, accept it and enjoy the journey..
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) November 8, 2017
The rest of the video includes drivers such as Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and others.
After finished seventh in Sunday’s race, Johnson explained that he took an active role in organizing the drivers’ message.
“I was involved in helping put it together, and I was just really proud of the drivers who got involved,” Johnson said. “Honestly proud of NASCAR and what they did, but it’s been a personal journey on a much deeper level this week for me to listen and learn, and as a lot of us drivers started chatting about the week and experience and a lot of this was led by Bubba. Really have to give him a ton of credit, including Ty Dillon, the accountability that those two really put on the garage area, put on me ‑ not directly on me, but I could just see ‑ it made a difference, and I think that resonated with a lot of people.
“I spent a lot of time listening and learning this week, and that message rang clear with many of my other driver friends, and we kind of found that message, and that was the message that made it into the video.”
NASCAR also released this statement on Twitter:
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 1, 2020
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