HBO's "Real Sports" examined the state of race
relations in NASCAR as the sport prepares to induct the
first African-American driver, Wendell Scott, into the Hall
of Fame. NASCAR Senior VP Brian France, asked by Derek
McGinty if he felt NASCAR excluded minorities: "We live and
breathe by different people who are going to watch our sport
on television or attend an event. That's irrespective of
color. So if you're us, you really want to attract
everybody in this country to be a NASCAR fan." More France,
after McGinty showed him a confederate flag and asked about
its association with NASCAR: "Yeah, well certain symbols
that appear, we don't sell that. Everybody is an
independent contractor. There's just no room in our book
for that." After the report, show host Bryant Gumbel asked
McGinty about the France family: "Do you think they're being
naive or deceitful when they contend that race isn't a
factor in the absence of African-Americans?" McGinty: "You
get the sense talking to them they're saying all the right
things. It's hard to determine the difference and that's
why there's a lot we didn't show you, me hammering away at
them saying just that, `Come on, you can't be that naive,
come on, you have to believe there's something going on.'
But right after the interview, Bill France said to me, `Do
you really believe this?' as if maybe he is naive rather
than not really knowing." Gumbel: "Do you think their's is
a realistic fear that if they started attracting African-
Americans, a lot of their southern white face would
disappear?" McGinty: "I think the key thing for them is the
sponsorships. Remember, it costs about $8 million a year to
have a Winston Cup car and the only way you get that money
is to get a big-name sponsor who will foot the bills. And
if they feel like the sponsors will get nervous or if they
think that it's risky and they pull out, they're not going
to do it. And the sponsors have that kind of power. Is it
realistic about the fans? Some fans, sure" (HBO, 4/20).
