May 7 (Reuters) – IndyCar has withdrawn a T-shirt from its online store after some fans objected to language they said could be interpreted as white-supremacist, a misstep for the Washington Grand Prix event intended to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The shirt, produced to promote the August Freedom 250 race, sports an image of Abraham Lincoln wearing a motor racing helmet, with ONE NATION above and ONE RACE below.
Some felt the words could be seen to have a racist double-entendre. A flurry of comments erupted on social media during the shirt’s brief online existence.
“A shirt was removed from IndyCar’s online store following feedback from customers,” said IndyCar in a statement. “We understand that some individuals found its phrasing concerning and therefore have remedied the situation.”
The race has taken a patriotic theme in honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. President Donald Trump has lauded the event as part of the “Freedom 250” celebration the White House is promoting.
IndyCar racers will zoom near prominent Washington landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial, on which the T-shirt’s image appears to have been based. Lincoln is remembered most for leading the Union during the Civil War, which resulted in the end of slavery in the U.S.
(Reporting by Ed White, additional reporting by Frank Pingue)
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