Iowa racing announcer launches racist rant on black national anthem, knees down

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ALGONA, Iowa An Iowa running track said Thursday it would cut ties with an announcer who launched a racist rant against black fans and athletes who kneel during the national anthem to protest inequalities racial.

Kossuth County Speedway in Algona, Iowa, said its executives did not tolerate comments made by the announcer ahead of the July 15 races, but called them an isolated incident.

The highway and the county fair board said its management did not hear the comments of the advertisers when they said them, and that they only got their attention through ‘a social media post earlier Thursday.

In its statement, the speedway said the man who made the comments was replacing its primary announcer and would not be employed at future track events.

It was wrong and will not happen again, the statement said. Kossuth County Speedway can’t wait to prove to our fans, drivers and crews that we can and will do better.

Please see the attached photo for a statement regarding comments made by a backup announcer during the races on July 15. pic.twitter.com/DjEDq3WiFH

Kossuth County Auto Circuit (@KCSpeedway) July 22, 2021

Comments from the advertisers were broadcast on FloRacing, which broadcasts the racing events live. FloRacing said in a statement Thursday that it has removed the event from being broadcast and that the opinions and language of advertisers do not reflect our core values ​​or have a place on our platform.

In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday, the announcer told the crowd he wanted to make a social service announcement before the national anthem. He condemned those who will not defend our flag or who kneel during the hymn.

I have four words for you: Find another country if you don’t, he said. Get out of the dodge.

Cheers from the crowd can be heard at this time. The announcer added that he was outraged that the NFL is planning to play the black national anthem before games this season for these people, I guess the darker skin color, I’ll just say blacks.

They want a different national anthem and the NFL is considering doing it, he said. I’m just saying turn off the televisions and let them play in front of no one.

The speedway did not name the announcer or respond to a request for his name. But Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minnesota, identified it on its Facebook page as its longtime advertiser, Lon Oelke.

Fairmont Raceway promoter Jon McCorkell wrote that Oelke would absolutely announce the races on Friday night and receive a standing ovation before the national anthem. McCorkell added that he agreed with all of Lons’ comments and opinions and several commentators praised Oelke.

A phone number listed for Oelke was disconnected and he did not immediately respond to a request sent through Facebook Messenger.

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