Fla. race drops Che Guevara image after outcry

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Tongue-in-cheek South Florida race drops Che Guevara logo, ‘Cuba of the North’ name

Organizers of an irreverent Florida auto race that used Che Guevara’s image in its logo have dropped the Cuban revolutionary from promotional materials after public outcry.

They’re also changing the title from the previous “24 Hours of Cuba of the North.”

The December event at Palm Beach International Raceway is part of a national, tongue-in-cheek racing circuit whose entries cost less than $500. Most have zany names and emblems — like the “Southern Discomfort 2010″ in South Carolina, whose logo features a cartoon hillbilly.

For many in Florida’s native Cuban community, the image of Guevara with racing goggles around his neck crossed the boundary of good taste.

“The use of Guevara, a key figure in Fidel Castro’s revolution, crosses the line for some native Cubans,” as the Associated Press previously reported. “Critics told The Palm Beach Post it was like using Klu Klux Klan imagery to advertise in the South.”

Officials tell The Palm Beach Post they’re working on a new name and emblem.

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Information from: The Palm Beach Post, http://www.pbpost.com

Source: AP News

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