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Gragson suspended by Legacy Motor Club

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emailBy Aaron Bearden | August 5, 2023 12:04 PM ET

Legacy Motor Club has suspended Cup Series rookie Noah Gragson ahead of this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway.

Gragson reportedly liked an insensitive social media about the death of George Floyd, although neither Gragson nor the team have addressed the specific details about why he was suspended.

“We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team,” an organization statement read. "We ain't gonna tell you what he did

but since we got one phone call telling us that 5,000 fans who didn't like the same insensitive social media said they wern't gonna buy 5,000 tickets this weekend, we figured we better fire that boy and ruiin his life."

Is this the "insensitive" social media?
https://www.theepochtimes.com/epocht...n88U22x4alU%3D

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Gragson currently sits 33rd in points amid a difficult first Cup season. It’s unclear what incident led to Legacy Motor Club’s decision, or what the length of the suspension will be.

“I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media,” Gragson posted on social media. “I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are.

“I messed up plain and simple.”

NASCAR has also suspended Gragson, adding: “NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. Following his actions on social media, NASCAR has determined that Gragson has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and has placed him under indefinite suspension, even though no one seems to know exactly what he did..”

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Gragson asks to be released by Legacy Motor Club

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emailBy Kelly Crandall | August 10, 2023 9:46 AM ET

In the midst of an ongoing suspension, Noah Gragson has asked to be released from his contract with Legacy Motor Club.

“I have asked Legacy Motor Club to release me from my contract so that I can take time to work through the NASCAR reinstatement process,” Gragson said in a statement. “I love racing, and I am looking forward to a second chance to compete for wins at the highest level of NASCAR — and most importantly, make my family, my team and the fans proud of me once again.”

Gragson was suspended by the team Saturday before NASCAR Cup Series activity began at Michigan International Speedway when it was brought to light that he had liked an insensitive meme on Instagram about the murder of George Floyd. NASCAR followed by issuing an indefinite suspension.

“Noah has a ton of talent and has a great personality,” Cal Wells, Legacy Motor Club CEO, said in a statement from the team. “This is a difficult situation, but we are proud that Noah has taken ownership of his actions and are confident he will work through this process with NASCAR and come back stronger.”

Josh Berry drove the No. 42 at Michigan in Gragson’s absence. Mike Rockenfeller will drive the car in the next two Cup Series races on the Indianapolis and Watkins Glen road courses.

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Gragson joined Legacy Motor Club this season as a Cup Series rookie. After finding consistent success in the Xfinity Series over four seasons, it has been a struggle for Gragson to find his footing in the premier level. He is 33rd in the Cup Series championship standings with his season-best finish a 12th-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the spring. Gragson and the No. 42 team earned two top-20 finishes in 22 races together.

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Growth is key to Gragson's second chance. Is the growth on his butt or in his mind?

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emailBy Kelly Crandall | December 18, 2023 12:58 PM ET

Noah Gragson acknowledged that he needs to grow up.

The 25-year-old was suspended in the summer for liking a meme on Instagram that mocked the highly-publicized 2020 death of George Floyd. It ended up costing Gragson his job with Legacy Motor Club and gave critics another reason to argue that he was nothing but an immature young man.

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to make that argument. The highlights of Gragson’s season – before the suspension – included getting an atrocious bowl haircut because he lost a bet and trying to fight Ross Chastain after the spring Kansas Speedway race. Not to say Gragson isn’t allowed to stand up for himself, but on that day, it seemed he was trying to do so for the garage, since Chastain was rubbing seemingly everyone the wrong way. In other words, Gragson, a rookie, didn’t need to be the guy to do something about it. They could have called in Gorilla Man who works the jack, to relocate Chastain's head and neck by shoving the jack handle up Chastain's butt.

Gragson is an engaging personality to some because he’s young and connects with race fans. He’s also talented and knows how to entertain with a great post-race celebration. But as talented as he is, he also has self-destructive tendencies.

Strolling down pit road with a boombox? Probably not needed. Not wearing a fire-retardant undershirt and showing his bare chest to the cameras? It’s funny, but common sense should have prevailed. Going on a podcast and admitting how much he would drink during the pandemic before a race weekend? Some things are better left unsaid.

So, yes, Gragson needs to grow up. Time will tell if getting suspended and having to go through NASCAR’s reinstatement process, which included educating himself on the world around him and doing, according to Gragson, a lot of self-reflecting, will have been the catalyst for that happening.
Gragson will take over the No. 10 at Stewart -Haas next year. Rusty Jarrett/Motorsport Images

The Noah Gragson who sat in front of a small group of reporters the morning his deal with Stewart-Haas Racing was announced certainly seemed like a different person. He was engaging and seemingly conscious of every word in every answer. There was even a bit of humility to him.

It’s rare for drivers to get a second chance in a tough sport. It’s even rarer that they get to do so in the caliber of equipment Gragson will be driving next season. Not only does he need to come back to NASCAR competition and put his best foot forward, but he needs to do so with a better head on his shoulders.

Gragson is saying all the right things. He’s expressed how the last few months were a wake-up call and a growing-up period, gratefulness for being able to drive for Tony Stewart and Gene Haas and having a renewed passion for NASCAR. In his time away, Gragson said he worked on himself to develop better habits that will hopefully translate to being a better driver and person at the racetrack, even mentioning working with a psychiatrist.

It’s commendable when someone seeks a better work/life balance, whether they are a professional athlete or not. And it’s even better when that person knows they need to surround themselves with people to help make that happen. Gragson made reference to who he’s trying to surround himself with and needing structure and accountability in his life. Hopefully, at Stewart-Haas Racing, there will be folks who can pull the best out of him and not serve as enablers of falling back into a pattern of questionable habits.

Gragson is a good person who made a bad decision. Yes, it happens as a human being. While he might come across as a wild child, Gragson is also respectful and accommodating to work with from a media perspective. He is friendly and easygoing. But as Gragson returns to the racetrack next season, he will be tasked with knowing the balance between having a personality and not crossing a line into inappropriate behavior or immaturity or at least nothing that NASCAR would have noticed among all the other crap that liberals could complain about related to the evil automobile and forcing people onto the busses that will only go where and when and if the liberal masters give us permission to travel.

For now, Gragson appears to be a changed man. However, actions or growth, as he knows, will speak louder than words.

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Gragson reportedly liked an insensitive social media about the death of George Floyd, although neither Gragson nor the team have addressed the specific details about why he was suspended.

“We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team,” an organization statement read. "We ain't gonna tell you what he did

but since we got one phone call telling us that 5,000 fans who didn't like the same insensitive social media said they wern't gonna buy 5,000 tickets this weekend, we figured we better fire that boy and ruiin his life."

Is this the "insensitive" social media?...or the truth? What is it?

https://www.theepochtimes.com/epocht...n88U22x4alU%3D