NASCAR has entered the political firestorm.

As peaceful protests during the national anthem continue to be widespread in other sports – particularly in the NFL where team owners and players expressed themselves in large numbers this past Sunday after being criticized in a tweet by the President of the United States for players' actions during the anthem – there have been no such occurrences in racing. However, the topic came to the forefront Sunday when a group of NASCAR team owners were asked about protests, resulting in President Trump tweeting his support:

So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won't put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag - they said it loud and clear!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017

Asked before the ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire what the policy is for his organization when it comes to protesting during the national anthem, team owner Richard Childress was very straightforward with his response.

"Get you a ride on a Greyhound bus when the national anthem is over,'' Childress said. "Anybody that works for me should respect the country we live in. So many people gave their lives for it. This is America."

Richard Petty was just as stern, telling USA Today: "Anybody that don't stand up for (the anthem) ought to be out of the country. Period. If they don't appreciate where they're at ... what got them where they're at? The United States."

Not all shared the same sentiment, however. Andrew Murstein, who is the majority owner at Richard Petty Motorsports, did not agree with The King. Murstein told ESPN he would not fire any employee who expressed themselves during the anthem. Instead, "I would sit down with them and say it's the wrong thing to do that, and many people, including myself, view it as an affront to our great country."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski also joined in the debate via social media. Earnhardt is the sport's most popular driver and tweeted Monday morning to his two million followers a quote from President John F. Kennedy.

All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable-JFK

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 25, 2017

I can get behind trying to make the world a better place, Can’t get behind putting down others; kneeling clearly does both. https://t.co/Ri2RQqwP4T

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) September 25, 2017

NASCAR issued the following statement on the matter Monday afternoon:

"Sports are a unifying influence in our society, bringing people of differing backgrounds and beliefs together. Our respect for the national anthem has always been a hallmark of our pre-race events. Thanks to the sacrifices of many, we live in a country of unparalleled freedoms and countless liberties, including the right to peacefully express one's opinion."

During his regular appearance Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NASCAR's senior vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell offered this:

"I think it's something that we've always talked about in the industry as a sport. If you look at our history, we've always as a sport demonstrated a respect for the American flag and the freedoms it represents. We celebrate the servicemen and women who have sacrificed to be part of that. That's part of the sport. From our standpoint, we view ourselves as a sport and want to continue to celebrate the flag but respect others' opinions.

"But going forward, that's where we stand, and we'll leave it at that and hope people can contribute or look at NASCAR as something to tune into on a Sunday and enjoy a sporting event."