NASCAR owners threaten to fire any drivers who kneel during national anthem

NASCAR owners are siding with President Trump.

In a move that deviates from the choice most other sports franchise owners and professional leagues have made, multiple NASCAR team owners made it clear they will not tolerate any kind of national anthem protests at events, according to USA Today.

“Anybody that don’t stand up for that ought to be out of the country. Period,” team owner and retired driver Richard Petty said at the ISM Connect 300 in New Hampshire, where there were no protests. “If they don’t appreciate where they’re at … what got them where they’re at? The United States.”

Fellow team owner Richard Childress said he informed his employees a protest would get them “a ride on the Greyhound bus when the national anthem is over.”

“I told them anyone who works for me should respect the country we live in. So many people have gave their lives for it. This is America,” Childress said.

Walt Czarnecki, the executive vice president of Penske Corp., said that Team Penske has no policy on personal protests and they “don’t anticipate” having to handle on.

The comments from NASCAR owners come on the same day dozens of NFL players protested the national anthem as a response to Trump’s comments earlier in the week about kneeling during the song.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b---- off the field right now,'" Trump said during a Friday rally. "'He is fired.'"

Advertisement