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NASCAR involved in political row

NASCAR appears to be caught in between a rock and a hard place with moves to moderate its traditional image as a popular but somewhat 'backwoods' national sport. The popular North American series has come under attack from right wing conservatives for its allegiance to anti Gulf war supporters such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson. ''NASCAR does not endorse political views,'' says president Mike Helton. ''NASCAR endorses diversity.''

NASCAR has wisely backed away from any political position, while standing by Jackson on diversity. But Peter Flaherty, president of a small organisation called the National Legal and Policy Center, in Falls Church, VA, is convinced that the $250,000 NASCAR has donated to Jackson's supposedly non-profit Citizenship Education Fund over the last two years is going directly into the politician's pockets.

''We have an ongoing campaign to dissuade corporate America from supporting Jesse Jackson,'' says Flaherty. ''It's basically a slush fund for him. One thing that is indisputable is that it has nothing to do with broadening the base of NASCAR. This is not a non-profit organisation, it's an entity that's run to push the financial benefit of Jesse Jackson, his friends and family, some of whom have become quite wealthy.''

NASCAR recently contributed $1.5bn to the state of North Carolina [May 19].

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