NASCAR has planted itself firmly in the Left’s camp by rejecting “Let’s Go Brandon” sponsorship, a decision that has been sharply criticized since the association took no issue with a “Black Lives Matter”-themed car in 2020.
Racing driver Brandon Brown inadvertently inspired the infamous “Let’s Go Brandon” euphemism after being interview by NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast following a winning race at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway. During the interview, fans could be heard in the background chanting “F— Joe Biden,” but Stavast claimed that they were saying “Let’s Go Brandon.”
A phenomenon was born as “Let’s Go Brandon” has become a popular alternative to the profane “F— Joe Biden,” making it possible for Biden critics to express their opposition to the president without vulgarity. In fact, a father from Oregon who called into the “Santa Tracker” event with NORAD officials on Christmas Eve and surprisingly reached Biden and the first lady was able to end the call with “Let’s Go Brandon,” enabling him to express his discontent with the Biden administration while young listeners (and apparently President Biden) were none the wiser.
Predictably, despite the absence of profanity, the Left takes offense at the phrase, calling it a “right-wing slur” and a “vulgar insult,” Fox News reported following the Santa Tracker incident. It seems the Left is perfectly okay with the vulgarity of pink “pu**y” hats, but not “Let’s Go Brandon.”
The Atlantic’s Ron Brownstein even aburdly claimed “Let’s Go Brandon” is a form of “insurrection.”
“I don’t think it’s fundamentally about incivility. I think it is fundamentally about insurrection,” Brownstein said.
NASCAR has discouraged the phrase at its racetracks, even announcing it would take legal action against any merchandise using the phrase in combination with NASCAR branding, RacingNews.co reported.
Fully aware of the “cancel culture’s” impact on anyone who dares to lean right, Brandon Brown initially attempted to distance himself from the controversy in an interview last month, stating he had “no interest in leading some political fight.” He added, “No one knew how my sponsors would react, and in my world, there is no car to drive without sponsors.”
Unfortunately, despite his efforts, Brown says it has been “extremely difficult” to get sponsors because of his association with the “LGB” movement.
But last week, Brown’s racing team announced a deal with LGBcoin, a cryptocurrency firm, to sponsor a “Let’s Go Brandon”-themed car.
MSN reported that despite the firm’s name, LGBcoin does not take a political position publicly, and its website calls the cryptocurrency “not inherently political.”
In a statement last month, James Koutoulas, leading holder of LGBcoin, said he wanted his firm to sponsor Brown because he’s “an incredibly talented driver” and “wise beyond his years,” MSN wrote. The goal of the sponsorship, Koutoulas said, was to make Brown “America’s Driver.”
“We are proud to support Brandon this season, to help him continue his American dream. If we do our job right, when you think of us, and you hear, ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ you’ll think and feel, ‘Let’s Go America,’” he said when announcing the sponsorship.
The announcement increased the value of LGBcoin by over 50 percent, RacingNews.co reported.
It didn’t take long, however, for NASCAR officials to announce their decision to ban the sponsorship, a ruling that means Brown will need to find a new lead sponsor in the next six weeks before the NASCAR Xfinity Series season begins in Daytona Beach, Florida, according to Russia Today.
Critics immediately pointed out NASCAR’s hypocrisy with banning the “Let’s Go Brandon” car but permitting black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, famous for the 2020 fake “noose” scandal, to drive a “Black Lives Matter”-themed car.
Koutoulas has stated he intends to sue NASCAR, asserting his firm went through the proper NASCAR approval process and received formal written approval before officials rendered their decision to ban the sponsorship. He tweeted the e-mail he received with the initial approval, which reads, “The sponsors are approved” before going into details about the markings that need to be cleaned up on the vehicle to abide by the association’s rules for markings on the cars.
Koutoulas tweeted the “revocation of the sponsorship approval is in violation of @nascar’s own rule book and appears to have come from pressure from another entity.”
NASCAR fans, in the meantime, are not pleased. A quick perusal of comments under articles reporting the decision reveals the latest move by NASCAR has dug the sport deeper into the ground.
“Big surprise,” wrote one fan. “NASCAR has gone WOKE and is controlled by the Mob.”
“Rule#1. Know your audience,” another wrote. “Prepare to bleed cash.”
