07 July 2015

Confederate Flag Flies High in NASCAR

Confederate Flag and NASCAR
When you have it, flaunt it. This is what Steven Rebenstorf did when he had numerous Confederate flags flying atop his canopy tent inside Daytona International Speedway.

It's been like that for years. And the 57-year-old Rebenstorf has no plans to take it down — not even if NASCAR decides to ban the embattled flag from its racetracks.

"They'd have to come and get it," Rebenstorf said, pointing out that his American flag purposely flies a few inches higher than the rest.

Rebenstorf and others staunchly defended their Confederate flags at NASCAR's first race in the South since the racing series and its tracks urged fans to no longer wave the banner. Dozens were scattered throughout the vast infield all weekend leading to the 5th of July race.

"It kills me that NASCAR is jumping on the bandwagon," said 55-year-old Paul Stevens of nearby Port Orange. "They should just let it pass, let everything die down. But NASCAR is too quick to try to be politically correct like everybody else."

NASCAR took a stance on the Confederate flag after last month's South Carolina church massacre. It backed Gov. Nikki Haley's call to remove it from the Statehouse grounds and noted it doesn't allow the flag on anything it sanctions. The series stopped short of banning fans from displaying the flag at its events, but Daytona and 29 other tracks asked fans to refrain from flying them.

Not everyone obliged. Daytona also offered to exchange Confederate flags for American flags this weekend, and track officials said a few made the swap Sunday morning.

"I think the voluntary exchange program for us right now was appropriate with the limited window that we had coming into this event weekend," track president Joie Chitwood said. "And more importantly, I think it's important to trust our fans, asking our fans to display a flag that we should all be proud of. Everybody should be proud of the American flag."

Indeed, the American flag is prominently displayed all around Daytona — no surprise given the Fourth of July holiday and the patriotism that NASCAR routinely promotes.

But spotting a Confederate flag is easier than finding a souvenir shop, restroom or beer stand.