Another day, another NASCAR driver suspension for racist crap. This time it’s Josh Reaume who is suspended indefinitely. He pilots and is the NASCAR team owner of the Reaume Brothers Racing team. It races in the Gander RV and the Outdoors and Xfinity truck series. From his posted response it was “a picture of my evening snack and it was taken out of context.” The evening snack reportedly had a swastika made from frosting on it. What other context would there be for posting swastikas on your Pop-Tart? 

We know that the swastika was used in Hindu and Buddhist culture. Inverted, anyway. But we doubt Reaume knows what a Buddhist is. So we’re curious how what he posted could be something other than a symbol of anti-Semitism? Maybe there is a certain context to it when it is specifically put on a Toaster Strudel with frosting? We’d like to know if it is.

Reaume says post “taken out of context”

Maybe he meant it to be a W for winning or winner and he got confused about how to write a “W” with frosting? We suppose we’re obligated to convey Reaume’s full response posting so here it is. “On Thursday I posted a picture of my evening snack and it was taken out of context. It was never meant to offend anybody and I’m sorry if it did. I hope you will judge me by my character and who you know me to be. I grew up in an ethnically diverse family and West Africa was my home for 13 years.”

The NASCAR violation prohibits members from making “public statements and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.”

NASCAR did not specify what exactly the image was but sources told Kickin’ the Tires the post was indeed a photo of a swastika on a Toaster Strudel. So far this year Reaume has raced in 12 Gander and Outdoors series races and two Xfinity races. His average finish is 28.2. 

Reaume’s suspension is the third this year for insensitivity toward a group

Reaume’s suspension is the third this year for insensitivity toward a particular group. What’s wrong with these drivers? Kyle Larson was suspended for using the N-word during an iRacing virtual race. He is eligible to return at the beginning of next year. Xfinity driver Mike Wallace was also suspended indefinitely for an offensive social media post in September. It is unclear when Wallace could be reinstated by NASCAR. 

It is also unclear how long Reaume’s suspension will last. But unless he can come up with a good reason for posting swastikas on Pop-Tarts we doubt he’ll be racing anytime soon. Our suggestion to NASCAR drivers is to keep your posts and Pop-Tarts racing-only and you’ll live to race another day.