NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from all events and properties. NASCAR says the Confederate flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.”

Former chairman Brian France in 2015 tried to ban the flying of Confederate flags at race tracks, a proposal too broad to enforce and one that angered NASCAR’s core Southern-based fan base.

“The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry. Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special," NASCAR said in a statement. "The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”

NASCAR's announcement comes during a period of national unrest over race relations in the United States. In response to protests, a number of confederate statues are in the process of being removed from a handful of public squares.