NASCAR Nixes General Lee Charger Appearance at Phoenix Race

NASCAR stock car racing got its start from bootleggers who ran alcohol in the South during the prohibition of the early 1900s and later for moonshine operations once the prohibition was over. With that history, it seems that the most popular automotive sport in the country would find many similarities between their beginnings and the classic southern-based TV series The Dukes of Hazzard.

However, a recent move by NASCAR regarding the show’s famous Charger has many people raising eyebrows at the stock car organization. As we found out from Yahoo! Sports via the DodgeCharger.com Forum, NASCAR has actually banned the appearance of the original General Lee Charger at an upcoming race in Phoenix.

Owned by professional golfer Bubba Watson, the General Lee Charger in question isn’t just any old Dukes of Hazzard clone. The car was actually used in the filming of the 1979 TV series and was the car seen in the first episode jumping over the police car.

Watson recently bought the car at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction for $110,000.

The General Lee Charger was supposed to make an appearance at the March 4^th NASCAR Subway Fresh Fit 500 race in Phoenix, Arizona during a parade lap with Watson driving. However, the race organization and Phoenix International Raceway representatives recently changed their mind, calling off the appearance all together.

The reason? The confederate flag that is painted on the roof of the Charger.

“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,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon was quoted on Yahoo! Sports as stating on Friday.

The Confederate flag is regarded as a symbol of slavery and racism, especially in the South and has even been adopted by groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Although the Confederate flag on top of the General Lee Charger was not used for the same reasons, NASCAR is covering all their bases and not allowing the car to appear at the race.

Watson responded to the ban by stating that he doesn’t stand for the Confederate flag in its racist form and its only on the Charger because that’s how the car appeared in the movie. Unfortunately for Watson and fans of the famous TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, NASCAR hasn’t changed their mind.

Do you think NASCAR made a good move in banning the General Lee from appearing at the Phoenix race because of the Confederate flag image, or do you think the organization is taking things a bit too far?