Without fanfare, Sonoma Speedway bans Confederate flags
Right at the outset you should know no one in 2018 was tasered, handcuffed, slapped around or tackled in the open field that sits across Highway 121 and Sonoma Raceway. This is noteworthy given the national perception of those who wave the Confederate flag, that they are a rather spirited bunch, given to a vocal volume that could cause deafness to those incapable of fleeing such enthusiasm.
The folks at the racetrack open up that field as a campground for big events, and none are bigger than NASCAR. In 2018, complaints started to filter in from campers. Lot of noise and ruckus coming from those Rebel flag owners. Made people uncomfortable.
“We quietly went into the campground,” said Steve Page, general manager and president of the track, “and asked those few people who had those flags to take them down. We found that peer pressure from adjacent campers was usually enough to resolve the situation.”
The idea struck Page and his folks that such a ban should remain in place. Why unnecessarily agitate people who come for a good time? And the location was right. This is Northern California, a few tractor pulls away from Darlington, South Carolina. So without fanfare, a press release or even a heads-up to NASCAR, Sonoma Raceway in June 2018 banned the Confederate flag at any track event, up to and including Grandma running her smokin’ hot 1956 Ford Falcon.
Said Page: “We decided the low-key approach was better than making a big pronouncement which might have been an invitation to those who might want to defy it.”
The 2019 NASCAR race here came and went without a fuss. Sonoma Raceway, however, no longer will be ahead of the curve, as NASCAR last week announced it is banning all Rebel flags at all of its events. NASCAR’s move also has a bit of Page’s managed thoughtfulness. NASCAR fans who are screaming against the decision will have time to think about it.
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