An attempt to capitalize on conservatives embracing the phrase “Let’s go, Brandon,” a right-wing slogan that is code for “F-ck Joe Biden,” has been nixed by NASCAR.
Brandon Brown, the 28-year-old NASCAR driver who was being interviewed in October after winning his first Xfinity Series when the phrase originated, signed a sponsorship deal with LGBcoin, a cryptocurrency based on the popular slogan.
After reviewing the deal with LGBcoin, which is almost valueless, NASCAR declined to allow Brown to follow through with it even though he announced the partnership on social media. Per NASCAR’s rules and regulations, the racing circuit has final approval on all racecar sponsorships and paint schemes, according to The Washington Post.
The phrase, which originated when a reporter suggested to Brown the crowd at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama was chanting “Let’s go, Brandon” after his win when it was clear they were saying “F-ck Joe Biden,” was previously discussed by NASCAR in November. At that time, it was decided any potential sponsorship that made reference or used imagery based on the chant would not be allowed.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps, who has made diversifying NASCAR a priority and banned displays of the Confederate flag at the stock-car circuit’s tracks, previously called the chant’s association with Brown an “unfortunate situation.”
“I feel for Brandon,” Phelps said in November. “I think unfortunately it speaks to the state of where we are as a country. We do not want to associate ourselves with politics, the left or the right. We obviously have and we’ve always had, as a sport, tremendous respect for the office of the president — no matter who is sitting. Do we like the fact that it kind of started with NASCAR and then is gaining ground elsewhere? No, we’re not happy about that. But we will continue to make sure that we have respect for the office of the president.”
In a December op-ed for Newsweek, Brown said he has “no interest in leading some political fight” and is “certainly not going to tell anyone how to vote.” But Brown also said he is “no longer going to be silent about the situation I find myself in.”
“When I have the opportunity and the time, I am not going to hesitate to speak about issues I am passionate about, or the problems we face together as Americans,” he wrote. “How you vote is none of my business. Instead, I will use what free time I have to highlight the struggle we all feel and share, as Americans. To my fans, to NASCAR fans and to everyone who has chanted my name: I dedicate myself this upcoming season to compete hard on the racetrack and to spotlight issues that are important to me and to millions of Americans across the country.”
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