NASCAR Takes a Hard Left

After decades of NASCAR drivers literally turning left for hours every race day (road course races excluded, of course), the governing body appears to be taking a figurative left turn, politically.

K-Var, a retailer in outdoor and shooting sports products, reports that it was told it would need to edit/change an ad submitted earlier this year it had intended to be included in NASCAR’s official program. The problem, apparently, is that the K-Var ad included depictions of “assault-style rifles/sniper rifles.” Presumably, the offending firearm is an AK-variant manufactured by Arsenal.

NASCAR’s official media sales agent told K-Var (as well as other potential advertisers), that the racing organization is undergoing a “gradual shift in (its) position on guns,” which would appear to include NASCAR determining it is now opposed to the lawful manufacture, sale, and/or possession of what it refers to as “assault-style rifles/sniper rifles.” Or, at least, the organization is opposed to advertising such items.

This seems to follow a trend of head-scratching corporate decisions to alienate a significant percentage of current and potential customers.