Raceway logo courtesy of KLGA.
The Kossuth County Speedway in Algona says it will no longer use a substitute track announcer after a video containing racially insensitive comments at the track last week went viral.
In the video clip streamed by FloRacing, the announcer can be heard telling the crowd to stand for the national anthem before making comments about NFL players kneeling in protest.
The announcer tells those listening to “Get the hell out of dodge” if they don’t want to stand for the National Anthem. He goes on to say that persons of a “darker toned skin color” want the NFL to play a different national anthem before games, something he does not agree with.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, officials with Kossuth County Speedway stated that they do not condone the comments made last week and will “not tolerate discrimination at our racing events and welcome fans of all color, gender, religion and creed to join our racing family.”
Officials say the individual will no longer be considered for employment as a fill in announcer, and they look forward to proving to everyone they can and will do better. A statement released Thursday afternoon by FloRacing, the platform where the event was broadcast online, states that the comments made last week at the Kossuth County Speedway “do not reflect our core values or have a place on our platform.”
The statement also says the broadcast has been removed from their archive.
(By Brian Wilson, KLGA, Algona)