At Monday’s NASCAR event at Talladega Superspeedway, drivers and crew members stood in solidarity with Bubba Wallace, a Black NASCAR driver who said he found a noose in his stall on Sunday.
The drivers pushed Wallace’s car to the front of the field moments before the race got underway.
No words pic.twitter.com/ZorYccEjFo
— Steve O'Donnell (@odsteve) June 22, 2020
We are one family.
One NASCAR. pic.twitter.com/Y1IRI5qpRe
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 22, 2020
The FBI said that it is investigating Sunday’s incident.
Wallace became the first Black full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2018 in more than four decades. He instantly found success as a full-time driver, finishing as the runner-up of the 2018 Daytona 500.
Amid national unrest over the death of George Floyd, Wallace called for the ban of Confederate symbols from NASCAR events. NASCAR announced two weeks ago that Confederate flags would no longer be permitted at its tracks.
Despite the ban, multiple Confederate flags were seen flying outside of the raceway, according to photos shared by the Associated Press.
NASCAR released a statement on Sunday’s incident.
"Late this afternoon, NASCAR was made aware that a noose was found in the garage stall of the 43 team,” NASCAR said in a late Sunday statement. “We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act. We have launched an immediate investigation, and will do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport. As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR, and this act only strengthens our resolve to make the sport open and welcoming to all."
