In a statement late Sunday night, NASCAR said a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace‘s Richard Petty Motorsports team before the postponed Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
“We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,” the NASCAR statement read. “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.”
In a statement Monday from U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, he said: “The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Alabama, FBI and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division are reviewing the situation surrounding the noose that was found in Bubba Wallace’s garage to determine whether there are violations of federal law. Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought, this type of action has no place in our society.”
NASCAR recently banned the Confederate flag from its racetracks shortly after Wallace, the only Black driver in the Cup Series, lobbied for their removal.
Wallace posted a tweet addressing the news shortly after NASCAR’s statement.
Here’s the full statement from NASCAR:
Late this afternoon, NASCAR was made aware that a noose was found in the garage stall of the 43 team. 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.
