AP/Lang
7/23/21
An Iowa race track says it will cut ties with an announcer who went on a racist rant against Black fans and athletes who kneel during the national anthem.
The Kossuth County Speedway in Algona said in a news release Thursday that its leaders “do not condone” the comments made by announcer Lon Oelke before the races on July 15. It called the matter an isolated incident.
Here are the comments in question:
“Here’s your social service announcement: If you won’t stand for our flag, if you’re gonna take a knee, if you’re gonna feel you have rights — you have the right to remain silent for most of the time — but I got four words for you: Find a different country, if you won’t do it. Get the hell out of dodge. Yes! A lot of people have sacrificed many things in their lives for us to be able to do these liberties. And if you feel that’s alright, well I don’t know, you just don’t have a right. I’ve heard about all the stuff going on in the NFL and now they’re going to have another national anthem for those folks, for the … I guess … darker-toned skin color, I’ll just say Blacks. They want a different national anthem and the NFL is thinking about doing it. So I say shut the TVs off and let them play in front of nobody. Yes! That’s my announcement. I salute the veterans coming up, like I said the 29th, but we’re going to get racing underway…”
The speedway and the county’s fair board said its management didn’t hear the comments when they were spoken because the track’s PA system can’t be heard well outside of the stands, and that they only came to their attention through a social media post.
A post on the Facebook page of Oelke’s home speedway, Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, MN, says Oelke would “absolutely” be calling Friday night’s races there, and that he would receive a standing ovation before the national anthem. Fairmont Raceway promoter Jon McCorkell went on to write that he personally agreed “with all of Lon’s comments and opinions”.