IndyCar flagman fired after criticizing NASCAR's new policies on racial injustice

Brad Hockaday was a part-time employee with the company

An IndyCar series flagman was fired by the company on Thursday after he criticized NASCAR's new policies regarding team members not having to stand for the national anthem, as well as its decision to ban the Confederate flag at events. Brad Hockaday, who was a part-time employee with IndyCar, posted the remarks that eventually got him fired on his personal Facebook account.

According to USA Today, IndyCar has confirmed that Hockaday had been fired specifically because of the posts. Hockaday last manned the flag stand at Texas Motor Speedway on June 6.

Here's what Hockaday wrote in the post, which he deleted from his Facebook page but was screenshotted and posted to Reddit:

"Now is the time for short tracks round the country to pull their NASCAR sanctions for their recent actions towards America. I would not want to be affiliated with a group that doesn't respect what the American flag stands for. A lot of people have died to make this country what it is. Disrespecting the flag of this country is a disgrace. Then removing the Confederate flags. Do those dips—s even understand what that flag stands for. I have lost all respect for NASCAR. I will no longer be supporting their sanction body."

According to his LinkedIn page, Hockaday had been employed by IndyCar since the beginning of the 2017 season. He also served as a flagman with the ARCA racing series from 2005 to 2017. 

Prior to Wednesday's race at Martinsville, NASCAR announced that the Confederate flag would be removed from all future events. Bubba Wallace, who is the only African American driver in NASCAR, had asked the company to do so.

In addition, Wallace drove an all-black car that had a "Black Lives Matter" design on it. Wallace was speaking out against racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.