Three days after Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. ran a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, a team in the second-tier XFINITY Series is running a #BackTheBlue paint scheme Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
For the first of two XFINITY races at Homestead this weekend, Kyle Weatherman’s No. 47 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet will have a paint scheme with #BackTheBlue written on the quarter panels and bumper, while the hood of the car has a black and white American flag on it with a blue line through it — a symbol of support for police and other law enforcement. The race team also described it as a #ThinBlueLine paint scheme.
There were rumors that NASCAR might not allow the look, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass reported, but the governing body approved it.
Although neither Mike Harmon Racing nor Weatherman said explicitly that the paint scheme is in response to Wallace’s #BlackLivesMatter scheme — which received national attention and praise from other professional athletes, like LeBron James and Richard Sherman — it’s fairly easy to draw that connection.
Mike Harmon Racing first tweeted an image of the paint scheme Saturday morning about eight hours before the XFINITY race:
Mike Harmon Racing proudly releases the 47 Chevy Camaro paint scheme #ThinBlueLine piloted by @KyleWeatherman @HomesteadMiami
Mike Harmon Racing supports our LEO’s and First Responders, we THANK YOU for your service, sacrifice and dedication‼️
🖤💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/RTddq7NY20— MHR Racing (@MhrRacing) June 13, 2020
#MHR #47 Back The Blue Chevy Camaro @HomesteadMiami
Piloted by @KyleWeatherman who will start the #Hooters250 today at 3:30pmET on FOX pic.twitter.com/OBMSGp2Vgz— MHR Racing (@MhrRacing) June 13, 2020
If it’s not a response to Wallace and Richard Petty Motorsports’ #BlackLivesMatter scheme, then the timing of running it is obnoxiously tone deaf, as mass protests against police brutality and racism continue raging around the U.S. and world. Amid protests following the death of George Floyd — a Black man, who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes — Americans’ perception of police plunged, according to a recent poll.
Even Weatherman — who’s competed in two previous races this season for Mike Harmon Racing — appeared to downplay the “thin blue line” message by trying to focus on general first responders, citing his uncle, who’s a firefighter.
However, as far as we can tell, there is no mention or reference to firefighters or other first responders, beside police officers, on the car.
RACEDAY here in Miami have something special on the car this weekend. A lot going on in the world right now and I wanted to express that most first responders are good people. My uncle is a firefighter and he would do anything to help save lives. 🙏🏻 please repost LOVE everyone🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/ZWYdM8Dio1
— Kyle Weatherman (@KyleWeatherman) June 13, 2020
Thanks David. I absolutely I support the black men and women of this country and also support all first responders also. LOVE EVERYONE 🙏🏻 https://t.co/SIGrkTaIzC
— Kyle Weatherman (@KyleWeatherman) June 13, 2020
Given the paint schemes the No. 47 car has run before, the timing this one hardly seems like a coincidence.
The No. 47 Chevrolet also had a Trump 2020 paint scheme for the XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February — although the car was driven by Joe Nemechek. The car was sponsored by Patriots PAC of America, which paid Mike Harmon Racing $25,000 in February, according to an FEC filing.
And at the XFINITY Series’ most recent race, the Echo Park 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend, the Nemechek and the No. 47 car also had a Trump-Pence 2020 paint scheme.
The president has been a clear opponent of protesters against racial injustice in the last several weeks, including forcibly removing peaceful protesters for a widely criticized photo op June 1.
NASCAR fans had mixed reactions to tweets of the paint scheme Saturday:
If you want to run a scheme honoring firefighters run a scheme honoring firefighters.
If you want to run a scheme for all first responders run a scheme for all first responders.
The tweet makes no sense in relation to the car and more importantly this is some HORRIBLE timing.
— Mayflower train set 🏳️🌈 (@Mayflower_set) June 13, 2020
Gained a new fan running this scheme
— Czar Thomas Brady IV (@BradyCzar) June 13, 2020
Then drive a car supporting firefighters, none of this is about them. And I think you know that. The Blue Lives Matter movement was made to go directly against a cause trying to bring awareness to racism, injustice, and suppression.
— LucasLee (@LucasLee45) June 13, 2020
Coming from a blue line family, thank you for doing this🙏🏻
— Stephanie (@stephanie_b_89) June 13, 2020
Nice white surpremacist car.
— alex bray (@maryjan60911608) June 13, 2020
Way to go guys! If NASCAR wants to bring politics into the sport then here it is! Great looking car! Love it
— dale simms (@dalesimms6) June 13, 2020
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