Richard Petty Motorsports has issued a statement; NASCAR President comments
Yesterday, NASCAR was scheduled to race at Talladega Superspeedway. The race was instead postponed due to rain.
The cars were then impounded and stored in the NASCAR garage area. They would sit there on hold until Monday’s race.
However, someone violated policy and entered the NASCAR garage area to hang a noose near the No. 42 car of Bubba Wallace.
Update: FBI concludes noose investigation from Talladega NASCAR race; It’s been there since October 2019
Wallace is the only African-American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. He encouraged NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag.
Recently, NASCAR did just that. The flag is banned from all NASCAR events and properties.
Related: Confederate flag banned from NASCAR events
Steve Phelps on the noose at Talladega Superspeedway
Moments ago, the President of NASCAR addressed the act in a press conference.
NASCAR has launched their own investigation. The local police were initially involved. The case was then escalated to the FBI.
Related: FBI investigating noose hung in NASCAR garage
A lifetime ban will be in place for whoever did this. “No matter who they are,” Phelps stated.
Cameras are typically installed in the NASCAR garage area, at large. However, it’s rumored there may be less cameras in the garage area due to a lack of traffic and fans allowed at the track.
NASCAR would not confirm if they had footage or if they had less cameras installed than usual.
Related: Bubba Wallace and NASCAR comment following the discovery of a noose in Talladega
Richard Petty comments after noose discovered over his No. 43 car
“I’m enraged by the act of someone placing a noose in the garage stall of my race team,” Richard Petty opened in a statement.
“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,” Petty concluded.
Related: Plane pulls Confederate flag over Talladega Superspeedway ahead of NASCAR race (VIDEO)
Andrew Murstein, owner Richard Petty Motorsports
“I’m shocked and saddened by the report,” Andrew Murstein opened.
“My first thought was actually about Henry Aaron. Henry is a good friend, and a former board of director of Medallion Financial. I just told Bubba a few days ago how Henry was so proud of everything he was doing.”
“Henry went through something very similar when he was breaking Babe Ruth’s record. You would like to think that the Country has changed for the better in the last 40 plus years. Unfortunately, in many ways, it hasn’t,” Murstein concluded.
Links
Richard Petty Motorsports | Bubba Wallace | NASCAR | Talladega Superspeedway
Related
NASCAR says a ‘lifetime ban’ for person who hung noose; They have a list of people who were in the area
FBI investigating noose hung in NASCAR garage
NASCAR launches investigation of noose hung over Bubba Wallace’s car at Talladega Superspeedway
Noose hung at Sonoma Raceway; Second NASCAR track sees racist act