Slayer dropped as NASCAR team sponsor

Saturday night's NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway will no longer feature the Slayer Chevrolet.

Slayer, who was set to be the primary sponsor of J.J. Yeley's No. 54 car for the race, announced Friday that its sponsorship with Rick Ware Racing has been pulled.

"Today, reportedly due to reactionary concerns from other longtime participating sponsors, Slayer has been pulled as the primary sponsor," the thrash metal band said in a release, according to ESPN's Dave Wilson. "After nearly 40 years, Slayer apparently remains as terrifying to some as ever."

Rick Ware Racing said in a statement that Slayer's image and beliefs didn't align with its own and those of its longtime partners, and that "there were no contracts or monetary transactions between either parties."

"As a team owner, we thought it would be best to forgo the partnership," the statement reads. "RWR wishes nothing but the best to Slayer and their fans and wishes the band a successful Final World Tour."