Racetrack bans American flags

Patriotic rage is being fueled this holiday weekend near the nation's birthplace after a local NASCAR racetrack in Virginia has banned the flying of flags in the track infield, prompting at least eight employees to quit their jobs.

"This is the Fourth of July weekend, and we're at war!" says Bryan Bowyer, who just resigned his position as chief steward and race director at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.

"The whole basis of our society is our flag and what this weekend represents. The ban just pushed me over the edge."

Bowyer says in addition to himself, more than half a dozen others decided to resign their positions, including the entire scoring staff, two officials with the race-sanctioning body NASCAR, and the scoreboard operator.

The track's owner, Dwight Schaubach, denies there's a total ban on the American flag, but explains there's a new preclusion against flying any sort of banner, flag or windsock in the track's infield, potentially obstructing the view of race fans.

"It has nothing to do with the American flag," Schaubach told WorldNetDaily. "I have not abandoned any particular flag. I'm just as much a Southerner and an American as anyone. I have flags on my personal cars. I just don't want them flying in the infield."

Langley Speedway is located in the heart of America's military country. The .395-mile asphalt oval track is directly across the street from Langley Air Force Base, and NASA's wind tunnel is viewable from the stands. The U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet is headquarted just a half-hour away at Norfolk, Va.

The track does have a giant U.S. flag posted, which racing enthusiasts face when the national anthem is being played.

Schaubach says several spectators have complained about the flags on the infield getting in their way of the action, though he couldn't provide a specific number.

He adds the ban was instituted two weeks ago, and has been posted on the track's website:

As of this date, 6/21/04, all flags, banners, socks, etc. will be prohibited from being displayed (flown) in the infield pit area at any time.

All haulers are restricted from having anything attached that would extend higher than the roofline of the trailer except for approved platforms, and handrails. The promoter has the right at any time to have objects that do not conform to this rule removed.

Any competitor, crewmember, or owner that refuses to abide by this rule will be asked to leave the facility until notified by the track officials on actions to be taken.

I hope this will help everyone at the speedway have a better viewing of race activities, and enjoy the show better.

"The flags in no way inhibited my view," Bowyer explained, saying he believes there's another reason for the blanket proscription on infield flags.

Bowyer says he was told by a track employee close to Schaubach that the track owner had been offended by someone flying a Confederate flag in the infield, and thus decided to preclude banners of all kinds.

The issue came to a head Thursday night, when one driver in the Late Model Sportsman division was told he would be disqualified for flying the American flag on his car's hauler.

When track management considered potential punishment, other drivers refused to race, as they rallied behind their fellow motorist who wouldn't remove the Stars and Stripes.

The race did eventually take place later that night, after hundreds of fans had already filed out of the stands.

The flap over the flag has become a hot topic on RaceRap.com, a Virginia-based messageboard for auto-racing fans.

"Langley must apologize! Plain and simple," writes website owner Bob Barney, suggesting a possible solution to the matter. He proposes the track host a "flag night" next week, where fans bringing an American flag with them would get a discount off their ticket price.

"I certainly hope that management at Langley Speedway stops for a moment and realizes what happened [Thursday] night. It was America at its best! Everyone makes mistakes. I think that this whole issue had more to do with past events than the American flag. What we saw last night was the stick that broke the camel's back and American democracy working! What better timing, but on the 4th of July?"

As far as Bowyer is concerned, he says he'll miss directing the races at Langley, but honoring U.S. troops in Iraq and elsewhere is more important.

"I give allegiance to what protects me and my family, and that comes first," he said.

The posting from the Langley Speedway website...... Seems he's only trying to clean up the infield for better viewing around the track...

ATTN: Competitors, Crewmembers, and Car Owners

AS OF THIS DATE, 6/21/04, all flags, banners, socks, etc. will be prohibited from being displayed (flown) in the infield pit area at any time.
All haulers are restricted from having anything attached that would extend higher than the roofline of the trailer except for approved platforms, and handrails. The Promoter has the right at any time to have objects that do not conform to this rule removed.
Any competitor, crewmember, or owner that refuses to abide by this rule will be asked to leave the facility until notified by the track officials on actions to be taken.
I hope this will help everyone at the speedway have a better viewing of race activities, and enjoy the show better.

Thanks,

Brink Nelms
General Manager

Dwight Schaubach, owner, Johns Brothers Security

Dwight Schaubach started his business career making nylon for E.I.DuPont in south Richmond. After working there for only ten months, he was included in a large layoff by the company due to a business slowdown. His wife's uncle, who managed National Linen Service in Richmond, gave him a temporary job until DuPont would rehire him. After one year with National Linen, Mr. Schaubach decided to stay and was promoted to supervisor. He continued at National Linen for another three years, until Carmine Foods hired him as manager of its seafood processing plant. He managed fifty people processing shrimp, oysters and other seafood.

His entrepreneurial spirit manifested itself in his bid for a franchise in Carmine's Chic A Sea fast food restaurant chain. The company, however, preferred to have him running its plant, so, he and his brother, Elliott, opened their own chicken and seafood restaurant, in 1969, called Feather-N-Fin, with four tables and a lot of carry-out. By 1980, they had seven restaurants in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk, VA.

In the mid-1970's, the man who picked up the trash from Schaubach's home approached him about removing food waste from his restaurants. This venture ran into problems and Schaubach agreed to back the man with funds to comply with the city's requirements. However, his would-be partner did not agree and Schaubach (always having a serious interest in trucks) decided to purchase a truck and 100 containers from a schoolmate. In January 1975, with his brother, Elliot, Bay Disposal was born. Bay Disposal began picking up solid waste from restaurants and other commercial and industrial operation in the area. When Bay Disposal was sold to Chambers Development of Pittsburgh in 1989, the brothers became affiliated with Smithton Sanitation Services of Washington, NC. Smithton was named one of Fortune magazine's 500 fastest-growing companies in 1990.

In 1985, Schaubach became aware of special needs for the removal of medical waste and, after visiting a plant with an incinerator while in Europe, he bought a 20-ton-a-day incinerator to burn medical waste in Norfolk. In 1986, the new company, Incendere, was added to the operation to collect and dispose of medical waste. Incendere was soon collecting medical waste in an area from New Jersey to Georgia. By 1988, the first incinerator was operating at capacity and Incendere added two more units. In 1990, Incendere sought to expand its operations into Ohio. There, In Alliance, Ohio, Schaubach bought municipal solid waste hauler, Max Disposal and Recycling. This grew into a $5 million a year operation, which he sold to Laidlaw Environmental Services in 1995.

The need to keep their restaurants in good condition led to another venture in 1978, Bay Builders. By 1990, it had expanded to housing construction with seventy-five all brick homes built in the Warrington Estates subdivision in Suffolk, VA. The Nansemond River Estates subdivision, started in 1996, will have 160 upscale brick homes when completed.

Late in 1995, Dwight and Elliott split Incendere's operations and Dwight, joined by his son Jamie, and another father and son - Charles and Emmett Moore - formed Area Container, another municipal solid waste hauler. Schaubach merged BB Rentals, a portable toilet business, into that operation. In February of 1996, Schaubach sold his waste disposal interests to Wayne Huizenga's Fort Lauderdale - based Republic Industries (later split into Republic Services and AutoNation).

The same month that he got out of the waste industry, Mr. Schaubach purchased one of the oldest businesses in Norfolk, Johns Brothers, which was founded in 1892. He divided its operations into two entities - one dealing in air conditioning, heating systems, heating oil, and commercial refrigeration, and the other in security system installation and central station monitoring. Johns Brothers Security is the largest independent security company in Virginia and ranks in the top 60 in the United States.

Also in 1996, he exercised his long-standing interest in cars and racing, taking a 30-year lease to operate and promote Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA (WW Motorsports), a NASCAR-sanctioned Saturday night track. In 1999, a long-term lease was signed to operate and promote Southside Speedway in Chesterfield County, just south of Richmond, VA. Mr. Schaubach sometimes drives in races at both tracks, and also collects, shows and renovates antique cars, particularly Duesenbergs and Buicks. Schaubach Restorations, Inc. recently restored a 1929 Duesenberg which was one of the first built and was nominated an outstanding vehicle in 1998 by the National Awards Committee of the Antique Automobile Club of America.

Mr. Schaubach is also involved as a majority owner of a federally chartered SBIC in Connecticut. His Chesapeake Deep Water Terminal has a lease, with an option to buy, on ninety-seven acres of land on deep water in Chesapeake, VA, which he plans to develop. He also has a majority interest in Alliance Financial Corp; founded in 1996 to finance sales of equipment and vehicles by companies he controls.

Dwight Schaubach has built his local business empire, including more than 265 employees, on hard work and a sense of the needs of the community. He has been involved in numerous charitable and civic organizations over the years, giving willingly of his time and resources.

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

And the beat goes on.......... or flag waving or lack their of.

More fallout from flag incident
Langley loses seven officials after threatening to disqualify a driver for flying the American flag on his infield hauler.

BY MARTY O'BRIEN
247-4963

Published July 3, 2004

HAMPTON -- Seven officials at Langley Speedway resigned on Friday, a day after track officials threatened to disqualify a driver after he refused to take down an American flag he was flying on his hauler.

Bryan Bowyer, the track's chief steward, confirmed that he and six other track officials quit Friday, protesting track owner Dwight Schaubach's policy against flying flags in the infield.

"I told Brink Nelms (Langley's general manager) that I could not agree with a ban on the American flag in the infield," Bowyer said. "That's why I and the others quit. It's a matter of respect for the American flag."

Bowyer said that Nelms asked him Thursday to disqualify DeBolt because he ignored an earlier request to take down a flag flying on his hauler. Bowyer refused and all 15 entrants in the Late Model Sportsman Division 75-lapper threatened to boycott the race if DeBolt was punished.

Langley's management issued a rule June 21 banning all flags, banners and windsocks from being flown in the infield pit area because they block views and are distracting. Haulers are restricted from having anything attached that extends higher than the roofline, with the exception of approved platforms and rails.

Schaubach defended the rule Friday.

"Drivers and teams are allowed to fly flags in (outside) pits and they can display them in the infield if they like," Schaubach said. "They can attach flags to the sides of the trailers, for instance, and I wouldn't have any problem with that."

Nelms, standing in front of an American flag flying at half-staff in honor of late president Ronald Reagan, added, "We're not anti-flag; we have American flags all over the place. But we have a rule about flying flags on the infield, and it's my job to enforce it."

Schaubach denied that the rule was instituted to prohibit the team of Late Model driver Jeff Shifflet from flying Confederate banners in the infield pits. However, Bowyer said a track official told him that Schaubach asked Nelms to issue the rule after seeing several Confederate banners in Shifflet's pit.

DeBolt said he also believed the rule was made to prohibit Confederate flags.

"It's pretty much about that and everybody knows it," he said.

Shifflet had a Confederate flag painted on the roof of his car Thursday night, but didn't fly any flags. DeBolt was the only driver to fly a flag, which was at the back of his hauler, just below the roofline.

DeBolt said he was celebrating the Fourth of July. DeBolt said he considered leaving when Nelms told him that he would be disqualified if he left the flag up. DeBolt took the flag down and taped it to the opening of his hauler, which was within the rules. An hour later, Bud Carteret, who owns DeBolt's car, raised the flag back above roof level in protest. Nelms said that DeBolt will not be reprimanded and that DeBolt has agreed not to fly the flag.

"Being that it was the Fourth of July weekend, track management could've said, 'Look, after this weekend it needs to come down,' and we'd have had no problem," Late Model driver Billy Fisher said. "That ain't how it happened, and we ended up with a big delay. It was the wrong weekend to show authority about that."

Langley officials canceled the Late Model race, but decided to run it 40 minutes later. None of the drivers boycotted after being told DeBolt wasn't going to be punished.

DeBolt said that Nelms apologized to him about the flap and that he will be back racing at Langley next Saturday. Late Model driver Shawn Balluzzo said he expects the other drivers to return also, with no hard feelings.

But it will take some time for Langley to repair the public relations damage. Chuck Hall, owner of radio station WLRT/1490AM, said that 150 people, four times the usual number, called during the first two hours of the Bucky Show on Friday to talk about the controversy.

"Every one of them feels he should be able to fly the American flag," said Hall, a former promoter at Langley. "They can't understand why he can't fly it, particularly with the situation around the world and the fact that the racetrack is across the street from Langley Air Force Base. A lot of the callers are military and they are angry."

Late Model car owner Rick Hester added, "That was the worst decision I've seen in 21 years at the track. Personally, I think Brink Nelms has brought a lot to the table. He's cleaned up the track a lot and made a lot of good decisions. I think, occasionally, when you make a lot of decisions, you're entitled to a bad one every now and then.

"This was a bad one."

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