Leaders call for investigation after racecar reportedly displays Confederate flag at Nashville speedway. Here’s what we know

What This Story Is About

• Two groups of leaders in Metro Nashville are pushing for accountability after a racecar reportedly displayed a Confederate flag last weekend at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

Why It Matters

• “Its display at a city-owned facility is deeply troubling and inconsistent with the values of dignity, inclusion, and respect that should define our public spaces,” said the Metro Council Minority Caucus and the Nashville NAACP.

What Happens Next

• Both groups are asking the Fair Board to investigate the incident and go over their “existing policies and oversight procedures, and establish clear, enforceable standards to prevent similar occurrence.”

For Context

• WSMV4 has reached out to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners for comment.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Two groups of leaders in Metro Nashville are pushing for accountability after a racecar reportedly displayed a Confederate flag last weekend at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

The Metro Council Minority Caucus and the Nashville NAACP say they are “demanding accountability” following the incident.

“The Confederate flag represents a painful history of slavery, segregation, and racial oppression,” the Metro Council Minority Caucu said in a statement. “Its display at a city-owned facility is deeply troubling and inconsistent with the values of dignity, inclusion, and respect that should define our public spaces.”

Both groups are asking the Fair Board to investigate the incident and go over their “existing policies and oversight procedures, and establish clear, enforceable standards to prevent similar occurrence.”

“Our commitment to making Nashville a welcoming city must be reflected not only in what we say, but in what we permit, what we prohibit, and how we respond when those values are challenged,” a statement from the minority caucus said. “We expect transparency, accountability, and meaningful action from those entrusted with managing our public facilities.”

The chair of the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners responded to a request for comment by sharing with WSMV4 a Substack article he wrote.

Chair Jasper Hendricks said he has met with the speedway staff following last weekend’s race, and said he is confident they will better enforce their standards on offensive language and images.

“As a government body, the Fair Board cannot regulate speech, and it shouldn’t,” Hendricks noted.

Hendricks also said he had already met with the board before the public statements were released, and he didn’t receive any calls from the groups calling for action from the board. He urged people to reach out to him before commenting in the future.