Earlier in June, Mobile, Alabama native Darrell “Bubba” Wallace and driver of the #43 car, owned by Legendary Richard Petty and his Motorsports team, raised some eyebrows when he requested that NASCAR “Get rid of all Confederate flags.”

To most sports fans, the tradition of displaying the Confederate flag at NASCAR events made this an unimaginable request.

In an attempt to disassociate themselves from the confederate flag, NASCAR mentioned that they would appreciate it if fans did not display the flag during their events back in 2015.

When Wallace spoke up earlier this year against the confederate flag, NASCAR, to their credit, promptly banned the display of the flag at their events.

To further prove that NASCAR is trying to move on from their well-known association with the confederate flag and the history which that flag represents, they have promoted longtime employee, Brandon Thompson, to Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.