• A noose was found in NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace’s team stall Sunday. Wallace is the only Black driver in the current series.
• Later that day, NASCAR announced it would be launching an investigation and would “eliminate” whoever was responsible from the sport.
• Wallace made headlines earlier this month for his successful push to have NASCAR ban the display of the Confederate Flag from all events. 
• On Monday, the Department of Justice and the FBI also said they would begin looking into the incident.

Noose Found in Wallace’s Stall

The Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Monday that they will be investigating reports of a noose found in a Black NASCAR driver’s garage stall.

The two government agencies follow NASCAR, which announced its own investigation Sunday night after that noose was found in Driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace’s stall. Wallace is the only Black driver in NASCAR’s Cup Series, its top racing competition.

“We are angry and outraged and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,” the association said. “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.” 

In a previous statement Sunday afternoon, NASCAR announced it had found that noose. Reportedly, it was found by an employee, and Wallace never saw it. 

“Today’s 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 how persistent we must be in the fight against racism,” Wallace said on Twitter Sunday night, adding, “we will not be deterred by the reprehensible actions of those who seek to spread hate.”

“This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to stand proudly for what I believe in.”

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey also released a statement Monday morning, saying she was “shocked and appalled to hear of yesterday’s vile act against BubbaWallace in Talladega.”

Ivey went on pledge her commitment “to assisting in any way possible to ensure that the person responsible for this is caught and punished.”

As several reporters for NASCAR have noted, even before coronavirus security measures were put in place, security around drivers’ stalls was already incredibly tight. Because of that, they suspect the person who planted the noose may work for NASCAR. NASCAR’s investigation announcement also seems to support this idea as the association promised to “eliminate” the person responsible from the sport.

#IStandWithBubba

Social media seemed to erupt like firecracker Sunday night after the news of the incident began to trend. 

“Imagine going to your place of work…a place you deem a safe space, and finding a symbol of death,” Fox Sports NASCAR Host Kaitlyn Vincie. “That is @BubbaWallace’s reality. That is the hatred he deals with. Many will never, ever know what that reality is like. THIS HAS TO STOP.”

In a very emotional response, NASCAR reporter Marty Smith told SportsCenter:

“You’re not just hurting one or two people, whomever you are. You’re hurting a whole lot of people who made the decision that it’s damn sure time to go be better. And it pisses me the hell off and it pisses everybody else in the sport off who care, who care not only for Bubba but for every other person who he is standing up for.”

A number of Wallace’s fellow drivers also voiced their support for Wallace, some using #IStandWithBubba.

Outside of NASCAR, athletes like LeBron James supported Wallace as well as thanked NASCAR for quickly denouncing the incident and promising to launch an investigation. 

“Sickening!,” James said. “BubbaWallace 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!”

On Sunday night, actor Jussie Smollett also trended alongside Wallace, with many comparing the finding of the noose to Smollett’s alleged 2019 assault in Chicago. In February, Smollet was indicted on six counts of making four false reports. 

People comparing Wallace to Smollett then pushed the idea that the noose found in Wallace’s garage was a hoax planted by him; however, no evidence of this has been found, and many have said that Smollett’s alleged actions make it harder for real victims to be believed.

NASCAR Bans the Confederate Flag

Since the massive protests over police brutality and racial injustice began last month, Wallace has been an ardent supporter.

In fact, he’s even modified his car with #BlackLivesMatter and wears an “I can’t breathe” shirt in reference to George Floyd, whose death catalyzed those protests.

On June 8, Wallace told CNN Anchor Don Lemon that he would pursue getting rid of all Confederate flags at NASCAR events.

“There should be no individual that is uncomfortable showing up to our events to have a good time with their family that feels some type of way about something they have seen, an object they have seen flying,” Wallace said. “No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. So it starts with Confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them.” 

NASCAR had previously banned the Confederate Flag from all use on any cars or official merchandise. In 2015, it also asked fans to not display the Confederate Flag at races, but it had never been officially banned from fan use.

Two days after Wallace made those comments to Lemon, that all changed.

“The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NASCAR said in a statement. “Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.” 

In a race later that day, Wallace cheered that decision; however, NASCAR didn’t have to worry about enforcing its new rule at that event since it hadn’t yet started to allow fans back into stadiums.

It wasn’t Sunday night at the Talladega SuperSpeedway in Alabama that fans were allowed to return to watch races in person for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.

While reports from inside the event suggested that fans put away their flags upon entering the stadium, outside, many fans waved those flags. In fact, reportedly, hundreds of vehicles lined with Confederate Flags formed a two-mile long caravan and drove past the track entrance in protest.

“The idea is to do it when people are trying to get in the gate,” one man told The New York Times.

In the sky, a plane carried a banner of a Confederate Flag and a sign that read, “Defund NASCAR.” 

Rain and lightning ultimately cancelled Sunday’s race before it started, so it was rescheduled for 3 p.m. EST on Monday.

See what others are saying: (ESPN) (The Washington Post) (NPR)