Petty, Childress would fire any employee that protests the anthem

With the sports world still reeling from President Donald Trump's comments Friday, Richard Petty, the owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, didn't mince words, telling the Associated Press that he'd fire any member of his team that protested the anthem.

"Anybody that don't stand up for the anthem oughta be out of the country. Period. What got 'em where they're at? The United States," Petty elaborated ahead of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race in New Hampshire.

Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing, echoed similar sentiments, stating that protesting would "get you a ride on a Greyhound bus."

Childress said he told his team, "Anybody that works for me should respect the country we live in. So many people gave their lives for it. This is America."

Chip Ganassi, the owner of Chip Ganassi Racing, also weighed in, stating that he agreed with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's comments. The Steelers stayed in the locker room during the anthem Sunday, with Tomlin saying he wasn't "going to let divisive times or divisive individuals affect our agenda."

At a rally in Alabama on Friday, Trump called for NFL owners to fire players who protested during the national anthem.