NASCAR track lifts ban on U.S. flags
July 5, 2004: A NASCAR racetrack under fire for banning all flags from its infield just before Independence Day pulled a U-turn and lifted the rule.
The reversal by Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia, followed national exposure of the issue in a WND story two days earlier.
Track ownership had claimed the ban was instituted to ensure a clear view of racing action for fans, and it had nothing to do with the American flag itself. But some drivers and track employees felt it was an assault on Old Glory, and eight employees quit their jobs over the controversy.
“I apologize to all of you and take full responsibility for the entire stage of events that took place,” said speedway general manager Brink Nelms. “I am saddened from the fact that I have been called unpatriotic. This could not be further from the truth.”
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