In what appears to be an inside job, someone on Wallace’s racing team actually found the noose and reported the incident to NASCAR officials. Many NASCAR drivers immediately showed support for Wallace and denounced the incident.
I’ll race with him on Sunday and ride with him on a Monday. I do this because he’s family, our @NASCAR family!!! It’s hard for me to comprehend all this, but one thing is for sure…When you f*ck with family you’re f*cking with us all. @BubbaWallace #ivealwaysstoodwithbubba pic.twitter.com/e6pDDmXu6J
— Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) June 22, 2020
Wallace has been at the center of NASCAR media attention in the past few weeks due to his recent outspokenness concerning police brutality, most specifically the murder of George Floyd, and racial equality.
As the only Black driver on the entire NASCAR circuit, Wallace has been the target of bigoted tweets and comments in the past. The venom against Bubba was turned up after he asked NASCAR to remove the confederate flags from their raceways because they represented a divisive and deadly time in American history for people of color.
NASCAR obliged and some fans lost it, threatening to not attend any more NASCAR events. Yesterday’s Geico 500 race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, was eventually postponed due to inclement weather, but the story of the day was Bubba Wallace Jr. and the racist fool who planted the noose in his garage stall to send a strongly bigoted message.
White people have been hanging Black folks from trees for hundreds of years and noose’s are clear symbols of white supremacy, racism, slavery, and an evil disdain for Black people.
Actions like this have no place in NASCAR and the organization was quick to denounce it.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
Wallace was quick to respond and double down on his mission to make the sport more exclusive, move it into the 21st century, and continue the fight against racism in the sport.
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 22, 2020
Wallace drives the No. 43 car for racing legend Richard “The King” Petty’s RPM team and made history in 2018 by becoming the second Black driver since 1971 to compete full-time for a Cup Series team and finished in second in his first Daytona 500 in 2018 in what became a watershed moment for NASCAR diversity.
The King is 82-years-old and in the twilight of mythical life. With COVID-19 still ravishing the world and especially senior citizens, Petty is making it his business to be at the race today, which launches at 3 pm ET.
Richard Petty statement:
“I am enraged.” pic.twitter.com/8pa2bdgz1r— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) June 22, 2020
NASCAR has also taken precautions in case Wallace’s car has also been tampered with.
.@JamieLittleTV reporting that NASCAR allowing 43 team to survey the vehicle to ensure nothing is amiss. https://t.co/uTdxqFYdil
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) June 22, 2020
NASCAR has been trying to increase its visibility and appeal to a younger, more diverse audience in order to keep the sport going. The world will finally be watching NASCAR, but for all the wrong reasons.
