Washington (CNN) NASCAR rejected advertisements for its souvenir programs from multiple firearms companies earlier this summer as part of what is being seen as a "gradual shift" in its position on guns.

The move may be another example of how major companies are adjusting as the nation grapples with guns in America.

While the move did not get widespread notice, NASCAR'S apparent shift stunned gun enthusiasts who said there is a large overlap between NASCAR fans and gun owners, and left some in the firearms industry questioning why NASCAR's viewpoint has shifted and where the racing organization now stands on Second Amendment issues.

"They've got the drivers shooting off blanks in the winner's circle. It doesn't make any sense," David Dolbee, the general manager for K-Var Corp., a large distributor of firearms, which submitted an advertisement that was rejected featuring an AK-47 and various accessories.

After a third-party advertising vendor solicited ads for an official NASCAR program earlier this year, the vendor followed up with gun companies in August to inform them NASCAR had rejected advertisements that depicted "assault-style rifles/sniper rifles."