CHARLOTTE NASCAR cuts funding to Jackson's group

NASCAR is eyeing more subtle ways to support the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Pressured by a conservative group, NASCAR has cut off contributions to Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, USA Today reported Tuesday.
The newspaper said a person familiar with NASCAR's internal decisions confirmed that the racing organization has not paid Jackson's group any money in 2003 and doesn't plan to.
NASCAR is seeking more subtle ways to back Rainbow/PUSH without appearing as though it directly supports Jackson, the paper said.
However, a NASCAR source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that NASCAR hasn't ruled out making future contributions.
NASCAR has given Jackson's group $250,000 during the past three years in an effort to increase minority participation in stock-car racing.
"We have not officially heard that NASCAR has pulled funding," said Keiana Peyton-Barrett, a spokeswoman for Rainbow/PUSH.
No specifics
NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter told The AP he would not discuss specifics about donations to Rainbow/PUSH because such contributions change from year to year.
"The only thing we can do is go back to Mike Helton's previous statement that supporting Rainbow/PUSH is one of several initiatives intended to increase minority participation," Hunter said, referring to remarks from NASCAR's president.
In April, Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center, made public a letter he sent to NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. that asked him to end NASCAR's support of Jackson.
Flaherty said he believed the backlash NASCAR received from its fans over the support of Jackson was the reason no contributions were made so far this year.
"I think the protests of thousands of fans and four months of unrelenting attention led to this," Flaherty said. "But we welcome their decision because we are trying to show all of corporate America that there is price to pay for associating with Jesse Jackson."
Still expects funding
Charles Farrell, director of Rainbow Sports, a division of Rainbow/PUSH, said the organization is still expecting NASCAR funding.
"We have had no contact with NASCAR whatsoever that would indicate that they're pulling back support or wavering in any way," he said. "We haven't asked them to reassure us. We don't need reassurance. As far as we're concerned, the relationship is the same."