Culture & Society

NASCAR driver Brandon Brown speaks out: ‘I was afraid of being canceled by sponsors, by the media’

December 20, 2021 | | Print Article

The NASCAR driver who inadvertently inspired the “Let’s go Brandon” chant says he worried about being canceled as a result of the massive publicity and has “zero desire” to get involved in politics. Instead, he is focused entirely on his racing career, although with some exceptions on special occasions.

Self-described Republican Brandon Brown, 28, who says he’s experiencing pain at the pump more than the average person given his profession, and thus is well familiar with the rising inflation rate, has also seemingly proposed a replacement slogan: “Let’s go America.”

The PG-13 ‘Let’s go Brandon’ meme or chant became instantly popular with critics of the incumbent president after an NBC Sports reporter on October 2 appeared to misunderstand what was being shouted in the stands following a NASCAR event at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway when she was interviewing Xfinity Series race winner Brown.

The crowd was chanting “F**k Joe Biden,” but she apparently mistook it for “Let’s go Brandon!”

The rest is history as the high-octane phrase entered the national zeitgeist. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on one occasion irreverently made reference to the “Bandon” administration in the White House.

Even the liberal New York Times has acknowledged in the context of the emergence of the anti-Biden rallying cry that “The moment was, objectively, pretty funny; it was also, to some on the right, a symbol of the way in which the news media ignores their views.”

Brown told the Times that he wasn’t listening to the crowd at the time given the excitement of his first major victory but later joked about it on Twitter when the catchphrase went viral.

Brown appeared to suggest to the Times that he didn’t want to alienate any fans on the basis of politics. “Our whole navigation is, you want to appeal to everybody, because, all in all, everybody is a consumer. I have zero desire to be involved in politics.”

As far as the LGB chant is concerned, “I don’t want it to just be the substitute for a cuss-word,” but, he then added, perhaps contradictorily, “I mean, if it’s making it more polite, then, by God, I guess, go ahead.”

“The issue is, I don’t know enough about politics to really form a true opinion, so I really focus on racing…If they’re going to use my name, I’d like for it to be productive.”

The driver noted that inflation, in particular, has ramifications for the entire social strata. “Groceries go up. Fuel goes up. And so it’s things that I share frustrations with everybody. So if they’re going to use my name and I guess we have the shared frustrations, right?

In a Newsweek opinion article published Monday, Brandon Brown reaffirmed that he doesn’t find politics particularly interesting.

He expressed concern, however, that his career could have crashed after he found himself “in the passenger seat of my own viral moment” and that he maintained a low profile in the immediate aftermath of the nationwide sensation.

All the advice I got from those around my racing career was to stay quiet after that now-famous interview. No one knew how my sponsors would react and, in my world, there is no car to drive without the sponsors.

So, I kept quiet. I turned down more press requests than I imagined someone could ever get—especially someone just starting his NASCAR career. I was afraid of being canceled by my sponsors, or by the media, for being caught up in something that has little to do with me.

Those who thought this would all go away appear not to understand why millions of people are chanting my name.

 

After a period of reflection, he implied that he now has greater clarity as to why the meme has gained such resonance with the public.

I understand that millions of people are struggling right now and are frustrated. Struggling to get by and struggling to build a solid life for themselves and their families, and wondering why their government only seems to make it worse. People have a right to frustration—even anger.

Listen, I buy more gas than most. I don’t like that $4 per gallon has become the norm. I know the cost of everything is rising and I know first-hand that making ends meet can be a struggle for middle-class folks like me.

I have no interest in leading some political fight. I race cars. I am not going to endorse anyone, and I am certainly not going to tell anyone how to vote.

But I’m also no longer going to be silent about the situation I find myself in, and why millions of Americans are chanting my name. I hear them, even if Washington does not.

 

As alluded to above, Brown added that he will express views about issues as circumstances warrant, adding, “Ninety-nine percent of my time this upcoming NASCAR season will be spent trying to take the next lap a little faster.”

But, 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.

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.

“Let’s Go America.”

 

“[F]or most athletes these days — and many others — politics can be hazardous to your ability to make money,” the Times asserted in its article about Brown.

Last month, NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto posted a nearly four-minute Instagram video that apparently was meant as an apology of sorts merely for saying “Let’s go Brandon” as he climbed into his vehicle before a race.

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Robert Jonathan
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