BOYCOTT NASCAR- A RACIST ORGANIZATION

[Guest]

There are no black drivers on NASCAR's top circuit, the Winston Cup Series. There are also no black Winston Cup owners, no black crew chiefs, no black team public relations people and just a handful of blacks in the garages and pits.


Ray Labbe and Mike Culberson, two white employees of Winston Cup drivers Terry Labonte and Derrike Cope, approached a black member of another driver's crew while wearing a white pillowcase on their heads to impersonate a KKK member

 

[Wizard]

There are Black drivers........And give me a break when was the last time you saw a black horse jockey?.......

 

[Cheyenne]

Ray Labbe and Mike Culberson, two white employees of Winston Cup drivers Terry Labonte and Derrike Cope, approached a black member of another driver's crew while wearing a white pillowcase on their heads to impersonate a KKK member

Did you see this personally?

Even if you did, there are idiots in all professions.

 

[Guest]

There are Black drivers........

Name one racing today, or last week, or next week

 

[Guest]

http://www.thatsracin.com/99/0815/0813progress.htm

 

[Cheyenne]

http://www.thatsracin.com/99/0815/0813progress.htm

August of 1999? No wonder I'd never heard about it. I didn't know anyone into NASCAR until last season.

But, the article says exactly what I did. There are always idiots everywhere, but they don't represent the majority.


"Bruce Driver, who drives in the Modified Series and is the first African-American to finish in the top five of a NASCAR touring series, said he thinks it was a isolated incident.

``NASCAR is already in a situation where they have been getting beat up for a while here now on the issue of trying to get minorities to come into the sport,'' Driver said. ``It can put a dampening on things. You have to oversee two clowns like this and just look at the positive and end it here, because NASCAR took care of it immediately.''

``I would hope the sport isn't held accountable for the actions of two individuals,'' NASCAR's Triplett said. ``When you have a town of 60,000 people, you have a couple of individuals who make gross errors. Is the town held accountable? It's similar to this situation, with this organization involving 60,000 people.''

 

[Wizard]

I can't think of the guys name but there was a black man that started in the 500 last week ..........I saw him ......and he was an older guy been around a while too..........just looked in the papers from last week..and didn't see his name......

 

[Cheyenne]

http://www.nascar.com/2001/NEWS/02/02/ribbs_feature/index.html
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Like most of teams in the Craftsman Truck Series, the day after the 2000 season came to a close at California Speedway; preparation for the 2001 season began. But in the case of Bobby Hamilton Racing, the preparation and changes were immense in scope.

The first of several changes in the race team became official during the month of December. Danny Rollins was named crew chief for the No. 18 Dodge Ram that Joe Ruttman will pilot this season. That move is one of the most critical for the early season since Ruttman began 2000 by winning three consecutive pole positions, including the inaugural pole for the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona International Speedway.


Willy T. Ribbs will run for Truck Series Rookie of the Year in 2001.


"We should be fine with Danny making the calls this coming year," Ruttman said. "He has been one of the team's go-to guys for some time. The only difference is that he now has the title to go with the job. Most people didn't know that he was a big part of the chassis setups last year, so he has not received a lot of credit."

The second of the changes came in the formation of a second race team that will be backed by the Dodge factory and driven by Willy T. Ribbs, 42, a rookie of the year candidate. The red No. 8 truck's campaign will mark the first time there will be an African-American driver competing full-time in a major NASCAR Series in the modern era.

Other changes at BHR, which moved into a new shop in Mount Juliet, Tenn., last month include former team manager Andy Dunlap being promoted to general manager and Kip McCord, who joined the team as a consultant in September 2000, moving into the team manager position.

"There have been some major changes in this team over the winter, but I'm very pleased about how things are coming together," team owner Hamilton said. "Every year, we make changes that are meant to improve the team. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes we have to make a few adjustments before we get it right.

"This year should be no different. We are, however, very confident about what the coming year may bring in terms of on-track performance."

The last major change for the team was the biggest. In mid-January, while the two teams tested in Daytona for the Feb. 16 season opener, the rest of the team members moved BHR's operation to a new 46,000-square-foot facility, complete with its own chassis dyno and in-house chassis building department.

"We've made some major changes over the last four months, but everything is moving along without any major problems," Dunlap said. "This is an exciting time at Bobby Hamilton Racing. We have a lot of new people and a lot of renewed energy about going racing and winning."

 

[Cheyenne]

http://www.google.com/search?q=cach...dc.htm+NASCAR+driver+"African+American"&hl=en


KINNARD OPEN):
Dodge recently announced a landmark motor-sports program aimed at providing career opportunities for African-Americans in one of the nation's most-popular sports--NASCAR racing. The first-of-its-kind program creates a development process for enhancing the racing careers of both minority drivers and racing technical positions. The Dodge Motor-sports family recently welcomed well-known African-American driver Willy T- Ribbs to its team. The veteran driver is seen as a role model for many aspiring African-American drivers--and believes that the diversity program will not only help create opportunities for African-Americans in NASCAR, but help set the standard that others may follow.

(RIBBS):
"It's going to bring a further identification to the sport of NASCAR. And, just like the great young Tiger Woods has brought further diversity and further exposure to the sport of golf, it will happen in the same way with NASCAR--without a doubt."

(KINNARD CLOSE):
In order to enhance the opportunities of African-Americans seeking to enter NASCAR racing as crew members for leading Dodge NASCAR teams, Dodge will help fund a scholarship program that will provide important training in the racing field--and seek graduate placement within the Dodge Motor-sports family. This is Clyde Kinnard reporting.



[Edited by Cheyenne on 02-25-2001 at 08:42 AM]

 

[Cheyenne]

http://www.google.com/search?q=cach...r1.asp+NASCAR+driver+"African+American"&hl=en

Dr. Pepper president Jack Kildruff (L) shakes hands with driver Morty Buckles over the hood of Pontiiac Grand Prix racing car at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition "Wall Street Conference" in New York on January 26, 2001 where the sponsorship of an African-American owned NASCAR racing team by the Dr. Pepper softdrink company was announced. Team founder and manager Leonard Miller Sr. (3rd L) and his son Leonard Miller Jr. (2nd L) also attended./Peter Morgan (Reuters)


[Edited by Cheyenne on 02-25-2001 at 08:42 AM]

 

[Wizard]

Willy thats it....I saw him...he's the dude I was thinking of....Thanks Cheyenne......

 

[Problem Child]

yeah, right

Has there ever been a successful boycott? This is not a rhetorical question; I would really like to know.

When Caesar Chavez announced the grape boycott in the seventies, it may have raised awareness for farmworkers, but the farmers didn't go out of business. They improved the conditons for farmworkers, not because it was "the right thing to do", but because it made sense economically.

Nascar isn't hellbent to get black drivers on the track because they know that the vast majority of their audience is white, and there is no economic impetus to do it.

Imagine this: The NBA is only about 10% white. What if the owners decided "Hey, we've just got to recruit more white players! Let's set a goal of, say, 50% this season." The game would go instantly to shit.

It's not that they are conspiring to keep them out, it's just that auto racing isn't a sport that blacks seem to be particularly in love with, and their aren't that many black drivers coming up through the ranks. How many black swimmers, or golfers or tennis players are there? Not many, because they just don't grow up playing those games.

Sure there's racism in Nascar. There's racism everywhere. I just don't think a boycott is going to do any good, especially in this case. Do you really expect all the good 'ol boys down south and everywhere else to give up their Nascar? Didn't think you did.






[Edited by Problem Child on 02-25-2001 at 10:42 AM]

 

[Skitten]

You are talking about no African American driver's in Nascar. What about women? Where are all the women drivers in Nascar? There are none at all.

 

[Cheyenne]

You are talking about no African American driver's in Nascar. What about women? Where are all the women drivers in Nascar? There are none at all.

Ha! Good point. And it didn't even cross my mind as an isssue.

 

[Guest]

I think you got it wrong. NASCAR is a racING organization, not a racIST organization. Don't feel bad, they sound very similar and they both mainly appeal to rednecks in the middle of the USA.

 

[Ksss]

Good point on the women drivers, but there have been a few very good women racers in other aspects of the racing field, Shirley Muldowney, to name one off the top of my head.

 

[Wizard]

But that was drag if I recall ....................

 

[*Eve*]

Well, there's no black people on Friends, a show that takes place in New York City (go figure) but I still watch it. Really home, until Tiger Woods came along there were very few blacks that played golf. There still aren't a lot of blacks that play golf but no one is calling to boycott it. I have never seen an Asian driver, or a hispanic driver in NASCAR either so should they be pissed off to. Personally I think it's a very dangerous sport and if someone is daring enough to race a car 200 miles an hour more power to them. I know that in a perfect world we all get what we want and racism is just a thing our granparents dealt with but it's not, and if there will be black drivers, with the determation of such atletes as Jackie Robinson and Tiger Woods who became giants in their respective sports it will happen. Just chill.

 

[Derya]

I'm not a NASCAR fan so I can't really comment on particulars in the sport, but I think absence of minorities in the sport does not necessarily mean racism. It can be cultural and regional diversity playing itself out and the type of exposure the sport receives.

A lot of sports have great diversity among their athletes and celebrities, some don't. Some are sports that all kids maybe learn to play in school gym class and on teams when they're young. Examples like basketball, football, baseball, track, etc. And although there are costs to any sports some are not as financially demanding as others. Examples: basketball vs. snow skiing, skateboarding vs. equestrian, tennis vs. racing cars, volleyball vs. mountain climbing. Thus the sports that are not as financially demanding draw a wider of range of youngsters and adults alike into their fold of participation and audience, because they do not demand the same sacrifices for involvement, thus more diversity all around. And also provides more accessibility.

Different races, ethnic, economic, and regional groups have different interests in sports etc just like in music or food and this is enriching not negative. Truly think about what image of an athlete comes to mind when some specific sports are mentioned.
Examples:
a rodeo performer; surfer; boxer; car racing; polo; hockey player

I know for me some pretty specific stereotypes come to mind and that's because different factors influence the audience that is drawn into a sport as a participant and fan.

Well that's my dollar's worth

http://megsplace.com/dolls/hatnature.gif







How many people of color are rodeo enthusiasts or surfers

 

[Derya]

oops I apologize for the last phrasing on my prior thread. I was thinking of how to best convey some of my thoughts and that WAS NOT a good choice because it did not adequately demonstrate my intentions. I meant to edit it as I finished sharing my comments and I do apologize because I think the tone of that sentence is inappropriate.

 

[Shelby]

For crying out loud, the only thing that perpetuates this crap is....duh..people. No blacks in Nascar?? So flipping what? The best DRIVERS are there. Colour be damned. Hell, how many Black downhill pros have you seen? Few. Now, look at basketball, look at Olympic running. Baseball, Football? Until YOU stop looking at colour, and start looking at the atheletes, you will never appreciate ability.

Have you seen the Nike ads lately? Reebok? And have you seen many White people in them? I haven't. However, I see only the Nike & Reebok ads in Vogue, Vanity Fair,Harpers,etc. But do I complain that there are few white people representing Nike & Reebok?

Why are there still people who see colour in anything other than a Crayola box?

 

[Burner]

hey dumbass nascar is one of the few sports caucasians are dominant in along with hockey and sum dum sports liek polo and shit look at basketball,football the major sports are dominately black so take your boycott elseswhere besides everyone knows blacks only drive stolen cars and stolen cars are kinda hard to race with.....j/k!! sorry bad joke hehe

 

[Angel]

That was a lame ass joke and didn't help the situation at all.

 

[Darowyn]

Maybe there are no Hispanic people in NASCAR because they are too good for it. That is why they they get drives in the proper international racing classes like Indy and Grand Prix.
You know, people like Ayrton Senna, Juan Montoya,etc.etc.

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

Hey Homey?

The real problem here is how you flag your own racism by not posting via your regular handle.

Who really has the problem here?