NASCAR Won't be Blackmailed by Anyone!
By: Andy Kondratick
After receiving lots of E-mails about this subject and watching the O'Reilly Factor Report on Fox News Network, I went to work on finding out all the real facts for you the NASCAR Fan. After all we are the ones who keep this sport running and we should know if our ticket and viewing dollars are being spent properly to continue our great sport. I am always critical of NASCAR and in no way shape or form am I bowing down to the man but I have to say that all of this is just completely ridiculous.
It is no secret that NASCAR has always been viewed and attended by a predominantly white, blue-collar audience and that the sport of auto racing has never really attracted African-American athletes. Much like the NHL, NASCAR has never said that you had to be a certain color, race, or creed in order to participate. As a matter of fact they both have tried, with some success, to fund programs in the inner cities so that these sports can be brought to people who might otherwise not have had the chance for exposure to them.
The Urban Youth Racing League is just one example in a long list of charities and programs that NASCAR contributes to in an effort to bring inner city athletes into our sport. The Rainbow/Push Coalition is another organization that NASCAR contributes funds to and Jessie Jackson is supposed to oversee this organization and make sure that the funds are going to the proper programs to help aid in the effort of bringing more African-Americans into the sport of NASCAR as well as many other sports and industries.
After talking with several officials at NASCAR and SCI, I have found what I needed to and it's with great pride and satisfaction that I can honestly say NASCAR is doing everything by the book and is not being held hostage by anyone or anything. They can only be accused of not keeping an eye on the charities that they contribute to. That is changing as we speak. The only one guilty of anything wrong and where this whole story originates from is Jessie Jackson.
Apparently, Ole' Jessie is taking a healthy salary from the Rainbow/Push Coalition for being the head honcho and it is cutting deep into the money that the Coalition pulls in for its programs. I guess the child support for his love child is getting steep. Some NASCAR reporters got wind of that information and decided to say that NASCAR was paying Jackson off by contributing to the Coalition.
NASCAR isn't being blackmailed gang. I do agree with the fans when they say that NASCAR needs to get out of bed with the Rainbow/Push Coalition and its president Jessie Jackson and give that money to a more reliable program or organization. The Urban Youth Racing League in Philly only got $10,000 toward their program last year from NASCAR and Dale Jr. came to town and raced in a charity event for the UYRL. I say you add the $250,000 that would normally be given to the Coalition on top of that this year and everyone can watch how the money is being spent. Have no fear fans. NASCAR isn't doing anything wrong by being the biggest sport to contribute to so many charities and they certainly wouldn't let anyone blackmail them. I think Bill France would close up shop and move on without a care before he let someone dictate what he does.
This has been just one race fans opinionated investigative report. - Rogue Reporter Andy
E-mail me at roguereporter@comcast.net
May 8, 2003 -
Well ain't this something else? So you say you watched the O'Reilly Factor and you heard that NASCAR has been giving Jessie Jackson a boatload of money so he would keep quiet about the fact that there are no African-American owners or drivers in the great sport of NASCAR racing. Ummm. Where have you folks been? This is not anything new and certainly not anything NASCAR would have to pay to keep quiet.