Posted on 04/10/2012 6:59:45 PM PDT by doug from upland
Golfer Bubba Watson’s plans to “drive a parade lap around Phoenix International Raceway in the original General Lee car” from the show "The Dukes of Hazzard" before the March 4 Sprint Cup Series race “have been scrapped,” according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The problem is "the Confederate flag image" on the roof of the car. NASCAR Managing Dir of Integrated Marketing Communications David Higdon on Friday said, "NASCAR, International Speedway Corp. and Phoenix International Raceway officials discussed this and decided it was not in the best interest of our sport.” He added, "The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/18). Watson said, “NASCAR was built on moonshining, so the show was built on moonshining. I thought it was fun. I didn’t buy the car to get publicity; I bought it because I love it” (AP, 2/17). YAHOO SPORTS’ Jay Busbee wrote the decision is “going to rile up hardcore fans, but so be it.” NASCAR has to “play to a larger fanbase now” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/17).
Updated Jan 24, 2012 5:21 AM ET
Golfer Bubba Watson has paid $110,000 for the car made famous by “The Dukes of Hazzard,” the General Lee.
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Hundreds of similar 1969 Dodge Chargers were used and wrecked in the filming of the TV series between 1979 and 1985, but Watson’s was the first ever used and can be seen jumping over a police car during the opening credits, FOX News reported.
“Lee 1” spent most of its life in a junkyard after being wrecked filming its famous flight through the Georgia sky.
It still had a trunk full of cement ballast when it was purchased by the president of the North American General Lee fan club for less than $1,000 about a decade ago.
Since then it has been fully restored to the original, imperfect condition it was in when it was brought to Oxford College on Veteran’s Day in 1978 to film the iconic scene.
More than 300 other General Lees would follow it during the seven-year run of the program.
Watson, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, revealed on Twitter that he picked up the vehicle at the Barrett-Jackson auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz., over the weekend.
this is how freedom is undermined by liberal bean
counters, just look how this country has changed,
it’s sickening.
...being replaced with a picture of Che?
your “sport” can go hugga root
NASCAR is intent on flushing itself down the toilet.
Et tu, NASCAR??
(Not a big NASCAR fan, myself - but always considered them to be one of the last bastions of benign contempt for Liberal Whining.. No more, I guess..)
Maybe they can get the Black Panthers to fill all those empty seats.
Just run through a list of some of the people they've hired to perform at their major races. Lenny Kravitz was one of the highlights of the pre-race ceremonies at the last Daytona 500. Does that sound like a stock car racing event to anyone here?
Like it or not, that's the way corporate America works.
Maybe they can get a pacifier manufacturer to put something on the General Lee car. Or maybe tidy-bowl will sponsor it.
The beginning of the end of NASCAR.
I haven’t actually followed NASCAR since Glenn ‘Fireball’ Roberts died.
No more Pontiacs either.
The end of the Republic.
I guess NASCAR will be upset when these folks show up.
Thanks. Great Pic.
I do not recall any claims at the time that the show or the car was “racist.”
It is fascinating that just a little over a quarter century ago the flag on the car wasn’t an issue, but now it is.
They have every right in the world to fly the confederate flag, but I don’t like the confederate flag! And I have the right not to like it!
And Lionel Richie was a key player at the Country Music Awards.
Can the slope get any more slippery?
Probably will allow 2 fags driving a rainbow car or even a communist flag but confederate flag....NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I understand and agree. NASCAR, as other companies, does not want controversy. They want fans, no trouble, and a big income stream.
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