NASCAR has launched an investigation after a noose was found in Bubba Wallace’s garage at Talladega on Sunday, and vows to “eliminate” the perpetrator from the series.
In a statement released Sunday evening, NASCAR said it was made aware of a noose found in the garage stall of the No. 43 team at Talladega Superspeedway.
Wallace is the only full-time African-American driver in the Cup Series, and has been one of motorsport’s most vocal over racial inequality – with Wallace running a Black Lives Matter paint scheme at Martinsville.
“We are angry and outraged and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,” NASCAR said in a statement.
“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.”
Due to the restrictions on access by COVID-19 protocols, the only people with access to the Cup garage are Cup team members, NASCAR officials and track and safety workers.
Wallace released the following statement on Sunday night: “Today’s despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism.
“Over the last several weeks I have been overwhelmed by the support from people across the NASCAR industry including other drivers and team members in the garage.”
On 10 June NASCAR issued a statement banning the Confederate flag from being displayed at any of its events.
During Saturday and Sunday, a group of protestors in pickup trucks and motorcycles paraded back and forth on Speedway Boulevard outside the track with Confederate flags flying.
Additionally, a small plane could be seen flying at a high altitude nearly two hours before the scheduled race time on Sunday carrying a banner that included the Confederate flag and the slogan “Defund NASCAR.”
Owing to bad weather, the Talladega race has been postponed to Monday night.