The return of NASCAR on Sunday at Darlington Raceway was exactly what the country needed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (NASCAR Photo)
NASCAR led the way in returning to action amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (NASCAR Photo)

The Top-10 Stories Of 2020

Bubba Wallace kneels as team owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and NASCAR drivers stand in solidarity with Wallace prior to the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images Photo)

NASCAR COMMUNITY UNITES

Amid civil unrest across the country, NASCAR banned the confederate flag from being displayed at its events as the motorsports community came together in solidarity against racism and in support of Bubba Wallace, the lone African American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” the sanctioning body said in a statement. “Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”

Just days later, the FBI concluded no hate crime had taken place after a noose, fashioned from a door pull, was discovered in Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway.