A noose was found in the garage stall of Black driver Bubba Wallace at the NASCAR race in Alabama on Sunday - less than two weeks after h...
A noose was found in the garage stall of Black driver Bubba Wallace at the NASCAR race in Alabama on Sunday - less than two weeks after he successfully pushed the auto racing series to ban the Confederate flag at its tracks and facilities.
NASCAR announced the discovery late Sunday and said it had launched an immediate investigation.
It said it will do everything possible to find who was responsible and 'eliminate them from the sport.'
'We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,' NASCAR said in a statement.
A noose was found hanging in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace (above), the only black driver in the NASCAR race series, in Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on Sunday
On Twitter, Wallace said the 'the 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 ow persistent we must be in the fight against racism.'
NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from being displayed at its events but supporters of the symbol still managed to be seen Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama
'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.'
On Twitter, Wallace said the 'the 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 ow persistent we must be in the fight against racism.'
'As my mother told me today, 'They are just trying to scare you',' he wrote.
'This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down.
'I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in.'
NBA superstar LeBron James offered his support to Wallace.
The Lakers forward on Sunday tweeted: 'Sickening!'
'Bubba Wallace, my brother! Know you don't stand alone! I'm right here with you as well as every other athlete.
'I just want to continue to say how proud I am of you for continuing to take a stand for change here in America and sports!''
James also praised NASCAR, writing: 'I salute you as well!'
NBA superstar LeBron James offered his support for Wallace. The Lakers forward on Sunday tweeted: 'Sickening!'
'Bubba Wallace, my brother! Know you don't stand alone! I'm right here with you as well as every other athlete,' James tweeted on Sunday
The noose was discovered on the same day NASCAR's fledgling flag ban faced its biggest challenge.
The ban took effect before last week's race near Miami, but there were only about 1,000 military members admitted into that race.
At Talladega, in the heart of the South, as many as 5,000 fans were allowed in, even though rain postponed the race until Monday.
A plane protesting NASCAR's ban on the Confederate flag flew over Talladega Superspeedway just hours before fans returned to the track.
Images of the aircraft flying the banned symbol were shared widely on social media. Inside the track the ban seems to have been so far observed.
The plane pulled a message which read: 'Defund NASCAR', a reference to protesters pushing to 'defund the police' over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement.
On the ground protests also saw a caravan of cars fly them up to the track's entrance. Footage shared online showed dozens of vehicles protesting the ban and vehicles lined the boulevard outside the speedway waving the flag.
NASCAR officially banned the Confederate flag from its racetracks on June 10. It had said five years ago it would no longer allow fans to display the Confederate flag at events but never did anything to enforce the ban.
Now, in response to Wallace's call for the flag to be disallowed, series leaders say they are serious about enforcement.
NASCAR has not stated how exactly it plans to stop fans from displaying the flag on track property and none of the instances Sunday at Talladega were inside the facility.
A plane trails a banner proclaiming Defund NASCAR near Talladega Superspeedway prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Talladega Ala., Sunday
Protesters of NASCAR banning the Confederate flag cruise down Speedway Blvd prior to the race on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway
Vehicles lined the boulevard outside the speedway waving the flag
NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell on Sunday called the person behind the plane stunt 'a jackass'.
He tweeted an image of black and white hands joined together, writing: 'You won't see a photo of a jackass flying a flag over the track here...but you will see this...Hope EVERYONE enjoys the race today.'
Signs explaining the banning of the flags were erected at entrances but NASCAR had not offered any further details on how it plans to police the ban ahead of the race.
The issue was pushed to the forefront earlier this month by Wallace, NASCAR's only black driver and an Alabama native, who called for the ban on the Confederate flag and said there was 'no place' for it in the sport.
The ban was announced before last Wednesday night's race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, where Wallace drove Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Chevrolet with a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme.
Wallace, wearing an American flag mask, clapped his hands when asked about the decision before the start of the race.
He wore a black 'I Can't Breathe' T-shirt but did not kneel during the national anthem.
His Chevy had 'Compassion, Love, Understanding' emblazoned on the hood.
NASCAR has not stated how exactly it plans to stop fans from displaying the flag on track property and none of the instances Sunday at Talladega were inside the facility
Race fans fly Confederate battle flags and United States flags as they drive by the entrance to Talladega Superspeedway
Protesters of NASCAR banning the Confederate flag also display Trump 2020 flags
NASCAR five years ago said it would no longer allow fans to display the Confederate flag at events but never did anything to enforce the ban
NASCAR has not stated how exactly it plans to stop fans from displaying the flag on track property and none of the instances Sunday at Talladega were inside the facility
Black Lives Matter supporter await the arrival of the Confederate Flag supporters on Sunday
Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., tweeted '#NASCAR, family' after the announcement, and scores of athletes followed the race on social media. The NAACP applauded NASCAR for taking the necessary step to 'remove symbols of hate, racism, and discrimination from their events.'
Floyd, a black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while Floyd was handcuffed and saying that he couldn't breathe.
His death sparked protests that have roiled the nation for days, and Confederate monuments are being taken down across the South — the traditional fan base for NASCAR.
The Alabama track admitted up to 5,000 fans Sunday amid the coronavirus, with NASCAR promising beforehand to be on the lookout for the newly banned Confederate flag.
Souvenier vendor Ed Sugg, left, talks with a customer at his facility near Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday
NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell on Sunday called the person behind the plane stunt 'a jackass'
Signs explaining the banning of the flags were erected at entrances bu NASCAR had not offered any further details on how it plans to police the ban ahead of the race
For more than 70 years, it was a common and complicated sight at NASCAR races.
The flag is typically flown at campsites and above the recreational vehicles that crowd the infield. Talladega is not permitting camping inside the track so Sunday may not be a true test of NASCAR's enforcement ability.
Through the civil rights era right through to the season opener at Daytona in February, the flag dotted infield campsites and was waved in grandstands by fans young and old.
A view of American and Confederate flags seen flying over the infield during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on September 4, 2015 in Darlington, South Carolina
For more than 70 years, it was a common and complicated sight at NASCAR races.. Confederate flags are seen flying over the infield campground prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6, 2015
The decision on the ban had Confederate flag loyalists howling in protest and vowing to swear off the sport.
Truck Series driver Ray Ciccarelli posted on Facebook he would quit the sport, writing: 'I could care less about the Confederate Flag but there are ppl that do and it doesn't make them a racist.'
NASCAR helmet artist Jason Beam tweeted 'ignorance wins again, NASCAR you realize the North had slaves too, lol not just the South, you want to remove the American Flag as well, idiots.' And a publicist for one NASCAR driver tweeted the decision was 'a joke.'
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