By Steve Keating
(Reuters) – NASCAR was investigating who placed a noose in Bubba Wallace’s garage as drivers prepared to return to the Talladega Superspeedway on Monday for the rain delayed Geico 500 with the dark clouds of racism again hanging over the sport.
The only Black driver in NASCAR’s top series and a vocal supporter of Black Lives Matters, Wallace was the target of a racial attack on Sunday when a noose, a symbol connected to lynching and America’s slave history, was left in his team stall.
Labelling the act, “a despicable act of racism and hatred” NASCAR said it would immediately launch an investigation and “eliminate” whoever is responsible from the sport.
Wallace was also one of the loudest voices in the push to have NASCAR remove the Confederate flag from tracks where it staged races.
In the wake of nationwide protests of racism, NASCAR announced earlier this month that Confederate flags would be prohibited from all events and properties.
Despite NASCAR’s ruling, outside the Alabama track on Sunday there were still plenty of Confederate flags flying and merchandise for sale.
Prior to the race, a small plane flew above the superspeedway with a banner of the Confederate flag trailing another that read “DEFUND NASCAR.”
Alabama governor Kay Ivey on Monday apologized to Wallace, a native of Mobile, calling the 26-year-old “one of us”.
“I am shocked and appalled to hear of yesterday’s vile act against Bubba Wallace in Talladega – there is no place for this disgusting display of hatred in our state,” said Ivey in a statement.
“Racism and threats of this nature will not be condoned nor tolerated, and I commit to assisting in any way possible to ensure that the person responsible for this is caught and punished.”
NASCAR and the larger sporting world have rallied behind Wallace.
Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James was among the first tweeting: “Sickening! @BubbaWallace my brother! Know you don’t stand alone! I’m right here with you as well as every other athlete.”
NASCAR was among the top-three trending topics on Twitter in the U.S. on Monday, with supporters of Wallace using the hashtag #IStandWithBubba.
“You’re my brother and always will be,” tweeted NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.
“Don’t let the people who are lower than life to try and bring you down. They won’t scare you because you’re strong. I stand with you pal. Forever.”
The incident has not distracted Wallace who will be back in his car on Monday with legendary 82-year-old team owner Richard Petty reportedly making the trip to the track to support his driver despite the threat of the novel coronavirus.
“We will not be deterred by the reprehensible actions of those who seek to spread hate,” tweeted Wallace.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
