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NASCAR says it's 'disappointed' in Indiana religious-freedom law

NASCAR said Tuesday it was disappointed in the recent measure to enact a religious-freedom law in Indiana.

The measure has come under intense scrutiny since it passed because many believe it opens the door to discrimination against certain groups on religious grounds.

"NASCAR is disappointed by the recent legislation passed in Indiana," chief communications officer Brett Jewkes said in a statement. "We will not embrace nor participate in exclusion or intolerance. We are committed to diversity and inclusion within our sport and therefore will continue to welcome all competitors and fans at our events in the state of Indiana and anywhere else we race."

Tuesday, Gov. Mike Pence said he stood by the law, which goes into effect on July 1, but that he could have handled it better. He also said it doesn't encourage or allow discrimination.

As you can see, the statement doesn't hint at or rule out any action by NASCAR if the law isn't changed or repealed, though it's unclear what NASCAR could do if it decided to protest. Pulling the Brickyard 400 seems like quite the extreme step.

NASCAR also used similar language in its statement about Travis Kvapil when he was arrested for domestic abuse in 2013. In the statement following the arrest, NASCAR said it was "disappointed to learn of this incident." No action was taken by the sanctioning body against Kvapil after he was given two years probation.

The NCAA issued a statement last week about the Indiana law, threatening the presence of future events in the state. The NCAA is based in Indianapolis.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!