NASCAR racers good-naturedly irritate each other all the time, but in a time where mainstream media makes a big deal
out of a person's skin color, the NASCAR family says this is not funny and we side with our family member.

Noose culprits face lifetime NASCAR ban – Phelps

Image by Miller/Motorsport Images
2.9k shares
share
tweet
emailBy Kelly Crandall | 10 hours ago

NASCAR President Steve Phelps said those responsible for leaving a noose in Darrell Wallace Jr.’s garage stall will “unequivocally be banned” for life from the sport.

“There’s no room for this at all, and we won’t tolerate it,” said Phelps Monday afternoon. “They won’t be here. I don’t care who they are; they will not be here.”

In a brief media teleconference, Phelps said the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and specific details cannot yet be released, such as the use of cameras in the garage area. However, Phelps did confirm that it was a crew member from Richard Petty Motorsports who discovered the noose and alerted NASCAR.

Upon launching an investigation, NASCAR officials alerted the Birmingham office of the FBI at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning. The FBI is on-site at Talladega Superspeedway to start their investigation.

More NASCAR!

Blaney edges Stenhouse Jr. in wild Talladega finish

Petty to attend Talladega in show of solidarity with Wallace

“Obviously, this is a very, very serious act, and we take it as such,” said Phelps. “We will do everything in our power to make sure that whoever has committed this act comes to justice and comes to light, and we rid this type of behavior from our sport.

“We’re going to use every effort we can to determine who has done this, whether it’s a single person or multiple people. I know the director of the FBI has informed the Birmingham office to use all their resources to find out as well. The teams and drivers and anyone who would have any access to this have all said, ‘Hey, we want to make sure that we figure out who has done this vile act.”

COVID-19 restrictions limit the number of people with access to the infield and garage area. At Talladega, fans do not have access to the infield, and the essential personnel would include NASCAR, team members, track workers, and those from medical and safety. NASCAR and the FBI will review the list of those who were granted access to the infield and garage area at that time.
The Cup field assembles in support of Wallace ahead of today’s Talladega race. Image by Miller/Motorsport Images

“We also use something called compartmentalization to look at who was in that particular area, and we’ll be able to narrow that down,” said Phelps, who could not confirm that there was a security breach. “Security around getting into the footprint is significant. We have limited it to just essential personnel, and Security is very tight getting in and out of the footprint.”

Wallace was informed of the incident by Phelps. Asked to respond to those who are claiming this has been a staged event, Phelps said he is personally offended at the notion.

“This is a terrible, terrible act that has happened,” said Phelps. “For those who would think this is staged, I don’t even know where to go with that, frankly.”

Wallace has received overwhelming support from those within the NASCAR industry. Drivers are also expected to show their solidary with Wallace during pre-race, and #IStandWithBubba has been painted into the frontstretch grass.

NASCAR officials allowed Richard Petty Motorsports to check over its No. 43 Chevrolet this morning to make sure it wasn’t tampered with overnight. Richard Petty will support Wallace by attending the race, his first since the pandemic began.

Security for Monday, when the NASCAR Cup Series is hopeful to run its postponed GEICO 500, has also been increased.

“This is a family that needs to take care of one of its family members who has been attacked,” said Phelps. “We will firmly support, as an industry, as a family and community to make sure Bubba and everyone else in this sport is safe.

“This is a difficult time for our sport, but we are going to react swiftly. Again, we’re going to use all the means, resources at our disposal, and those of the FBI to make sure that this person or persons are caught and dealt with swiftly and severely.”

Bubba Wallace, Darrell Wallace Jr., NASCAR

 

NASCAR racers good-naturedly irritate each other all the time, but in a time where mainstream media makes a big deal
out of a person's skin color, the NASCAR family says this is not funny and we side with our family member.
-------------------------------------

The leftists will do anything to destroy this country.
---------------------------------

 

Petty to attend Talladega in show of solidarity with Wallace

Image by LaBounty/Motorsport Images
928 shares
share
tweet
emailBy Kelly Crandall | 12 hours ago

Richard Petty will attend the NASCAR Cup Series race Talladega Superspeedway to support his driver, Darrell Wallace Jr.

Petty, who turns 83 next month, has not been to a NASCAR track since the sport restarted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner and seven-time champion issued a passionate statement Monday afternoon in support of 26-year-old Wallace, who joined the Petty organization in 2017.

More NASCAR!

Blaney edges Stenhouse Jr. in wild Talladega finish

Noose culprits face lifetime NASCAR ban – Phelps

“I’m enraged by the act of someone placing a noose in the garage stall of my race team,” said Petty. “There is absolutely no place in our sport or our society for racism. This filthy act serves as a reminder of how far we still have to go to eradicate racial prejudice, and it galvanizes my resolve to use the resources of Richard Petty Motorsports to create change.

“The sick person who perpetrated this act must be found, exposed, and swiftly and immediately expelled from NASCAR. I believe in my heart this despicable act is not representative of the competitors I see each day in the NASCAR garage area. I stand shoulder to shoulder with Bubba yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every day forward.”

RPM has confirmed that Wallace did not see the noose, which was found by members of the No. 43 Chevrolet team who then alerted NASCAR. In a statement late Sunday night, NASCAR said it was immediately launching an investigation, and it has since begun working with the FBI.

“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,” said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town in a statement. “Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought, this type of action has no place in our society.”

Due to restrictions from COVID-19, fans do not have access to the infield of a racetrack. Since the sport returned to racing last month, only personnel deemed essential from race teams, NASCAR, the track, and those who work safety and security have access to the facilities.

Bubba Wallace, Darrell Wallace Jr., Richard Petty, NASCAR

 

So as it turns out,

we were lied to by the hate-America Fake News.
------------------------

ACCORDING TO THE FBI INVESTIGATING A HATE CRIME:

The so-called (by Fake News) hangmans noose in Bubba Wallace's Talladega NASCAR

garage was a pull cord on a garage door

and has been there since last season, EVERY garage has one.
------------------------

Fake News and democrats will say anything divisive to create disharmony

between skin colors, income, sex, age, and about anything the lieing mainstream news media

can make up!
--------------------------

 

So now NASCAR ends up looking stupid.

The only thing that counts is how well you can drive.
---------------

Bubba Wallace goes on Don Lemons Fake News TV program

and is running with the publicity stunt, saying that it is racism.
----------------------------
15 FBI AGENTS investigated and came to the same conclusion.

A garage door pull was not a racist symbol.
------------------------

 

FBI determines that Wallace was not a hate crime target

Image by Harrelson/Motorsport Images
2.6k shares
share
tweet
emailBy Kelly Crandall | June 23, 2020 2:58 PM

The FBI has concluded its investigation into the noose found in Darrell Wallace Jr.’s garage stall and determined that no federal crime was committed.

The investigation revealed that the noose had been in the garage stall since October of 2019. A joint statement from U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. explained that Wallace and his Richard Petty Motorsports team had been assigned the number 4 garage stall last week.

The full statement:

“On Monday, fifteen FBI special agents conducted numerous interviews regarding the situation at Talladega Superspeedway. After a thorough review of the facts and evidence surrounding this event, we have concluded that no federal crime was committed.

More NASCAR!

NASCAR continuing its own investigation into noose incident

Authorities investigating noose found at Sonoma Raceway

CRANDALL: The day NASCAR stood tall

“The FBI learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week. The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019. Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week.

“The decision not to pursue federal charges is proper after reviewing all available facts and all applicable federal laws. We offer our thanks to NASCAR, Mr. Wallace, and everyone who cooperated with this investigation.”

One of the Petty crew members found the noose Sunday afternoon and alerted NASCAR officials. Upon launching an investigation, NASCAR called the Birmingham office of the FBI on Monday morning, which then arrived on-site to begin investigating.

Wallace never saw the noose. NASCAR President Steve Phelps was the one who informed Wallace what happened.

NASCAR has issued the following statement, and Phelps will address the media at 6 p.m. ET.

“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.”

Construction on a new garage area and infield was completed at Talladega last fall. Wood Brothers Racing worked out of garage stall number four in October, and posted on their official Twitter page they “assisted in the investigation.”

“We are thankful that there was no one involved in perpetrating hate during this weekend’s race,” the team said.

“Just like the rest of the NASCAR garage, we were shocked and appalled to learn of the existence of the rope fashioned like a noose. One of our employees alerted us yesterday morning that, without knowing the details of the incident, he recalled seeing a tied handle in the garage pull-down rope from last fall. We immediately alerted NASCAR and have assisted the investigation in every way possible.

“What transpired over the past day plus is a unity that has only served to strengthen the bonds between each and every crew member, fan and non-fan alike. The Wood Brothers organization is proud to stand with Bubba Wallace and the entire industry as we work to make every race fan a part of our NASCAR family.”

 

NASCAR continuing its own investigation into "noose" incident

Image by Kinrade / Motorsport Images
627 shares
share
tweet
emailBy Kelly Crandall | June 23, 2020 4:01 PM

While the FBI investigation into the noose found in Darrell Wallace Jr.’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway is over, NASCAR’s own investigation is ongoing.

“We are continuing our portion of the investigation to try to determine why there was a rope fashioned into a noose, which obviously happened sometime last October, or before,” said NASCAR President Steve Phelps.

Phelps thanked the U.S. Attorney’s office and FBI for their thorough and swift work during a five-minute update to the media Tuesday night. He did not take questions.

More NASCAR!

FBI determines that Wallace was not a hate crime target

Authorities investigating noose found at Sonoma Raceway

CRANDALL: The day NASCAR stood tall

“For us at NASCAR, this the best result we could hope for,” said Phelps. “It was disturbing to hear that one of our own had committed this heinous act. It is fantastic to hear from the FBI definitively that there was not a hate crime.

“If given the evidence that we had was delivered to us late Sunday afternoon, we would do this the same thing. We would have done the same investigation; it was important for us to do. There is no place in our sport for this type of racism or hatred; it’s not part of who we are as a sport.”

In assisting the FBI, NASCAR provided roster information as well as photographic and video evidence. Phelps emphasized that no one from Richard Petty Motorsports was involved in the incident. A crew member, not Wallace, discovered the noose Sunday during the rain delay of the GEICO 500, and NASCAR issued its statement to the media Sunday night.

“I want to be clear about the 43 team – the 43 team had nothing to do with this,” said Phelps. “The evidence is very clear that the noose that was in that garage had been in the garage previously. The last race we’d had there in October, that noose was present; and the fact that it was not found until a member of the 43 team came there is something that is a fact.

“We had not been back to the garage. It was a quick one-day show. The crew member went back in there, he saw the noose, brought it to the attention of his crew chief, who then went to the NASCAR series director Jay Fabian and we launched this investigation.

 

Wallace keen to refocus on the racing

Image by Harrelson/Motorsport Images
149 shares
share
tweet
emailBy Kelly Crandall | June 26, 2020 4:32 PM

A long, emotional, and attention-filled week has Darrell Wallace Jr. worn out and frustrated, but he can see the light at the end of the tunnel with two NASCAR Cup Series races this weekend.

Last weekend, the NASCAR fraternity rallied around Wallace ahead of Monday’s rain-delayed Talladega race after a noose was discovered in his garage, triggering a barrage of media attention. An FBI investigation determined that there had not been a hate crime committed and that the noose had been in the garage for several months.

More NASCAR!

Briscoe rallies for overtime Xfinity win at Pocono

Brandon Jones grabs first Truck Series win on final lap

Format, 'best group in the garage' keys to Harvick/Childers success

“You stay off social media as much as you can,” Wallace said Friday of how he’s been holding up. “Corey LaJoie texted me yesterday and asked if I was all good. I said, every time you stand behind the truth, you’re always good. I know people are going to try to knock me and bump me off the throne, the pedestal I’m on, the same pedestal that I’ve been on for 16 or 17 years now since I started, so I’m fine with it. It’s fine.

“I love to get out and compete and have really good runs. It’s just motivation to go out and to have really good races. We’ll never shut [racists] up. They’re afraid of themselves. They’re afraid of change. Sometimes those are the people that you can’t help throughout all the chaos in the world. Those are the ones who need the most help. But, you quickly realize they don’t give a damn about you, and I don’t give a damn about them.”

While NASCAR President Steve Phelps took full responsibility for the strength of the sport’s response to the perceived heinous act against Wallace, the driver said he felt everything was done the right way. He has also checked with his team several times to make sure it wasn’t simply a garage pull.

“You’ve seen the numbers and how many garage stalls they inspected,” said Wallace. “Eleven had knots, and only one had a noose.

“Whether it was tied sometime throughout 2019, the fall race there, someone did it with whatever intent they had. We weren’t in that garage stall at that time, so we can’t say it was directed toward me, which is good. It wasn’t directed toward me or my family. But somebody still knows how to tie a noose and whether they did it as a bad joke or not, who knows? But it was good for the public to see. It still won’t change some people’s mind of it being a hoax, but it is what it is.”

For those like Wallace ready to focus on racing, there will be plenty this weekend at Pocono Raceway. All three national series are in action, including the Cup Series running its first doubleheader. But even as Wallace contends for his eighth and ninth top-20 finish of the season, he will not stop being a proponent of change in the sport. Wallace is the only Black driver in the Cup Series and has been both visible and vocal over the last month about racial inequality, and ways the sport and his fellow drivers can use their voices and platforms for good.

“Let’s focus on how we can continue to push the message of compassion and understanding, and let’s help fight the good fight in what’s going on in the world today,” he said.

“And let’s get new fans out to the racetrack and encourage our fan base now to welcome them with open arms and show them a good time. I think that’s one important piece that we can focus on right now. Let’s get away from what happened at Talladega. Let’s move on from that and put it to bed.

“Let me go out and have some good races, have some bad races, and try to figure out what the hell we’re going to do to rebound from bad races and get back into race car life. As much as it’s tough for me to balance both the human being side and the racing side, it’s part of it, and I accepted that. We’ll just continue to move on and push the narrative on, let’s go back a couple of weeks ago, on how we can implement our ways to help bring new faces in and help bring more diversity inclusion and make everybody feel welcome.”

Bubba Wallace, Darrell Wallace Jr., NASCAR