As racial tensions in this country run high due to police-related shootings and anti-Black rhetoric from politicians, sports has become a hotbed for racism, and right now, the NASCAR organization has become the center of an FBI hate crime investigation.
This week, it was reported that NASCAR’s only Black driver Bubba Wallace found a noose hanging in his garage at the Talladega Superspeedway over the weekend. This prompted an FBI investigation to determine whether or not the noose placing was a hate crime.
The FBI has since determined that the noose was in the garage since October of last year, even though it wasn’t discovered by Wallace’s team member until race day. The bureau also stated what was found was just a “pull rope” used to open the garage.
In an official statement, the FBI said, “The FBI has completed its investigation at Talladega Superspeedway and determined that Bubba Wallace was not the target of a hate crime. The FBI report concludes, and photographic evidence confirms, that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall. This was obviously well before the 43 team’s arrival and garage assignment. We appreciate the FBI’s quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing.”
