NASCAR releases photo of the suspected ‘noose’ found in Bubba Wallace’s garage


BREAKING: NASCAR releases photo of the ‘noose’ found in Bubba Wallace’s garage and investigated by the FBI as a hate crime before it was revealed to be a ‘pull rope’ that had been there since 2019

  • NASCAR released a photo of the suspected ‘noose’ found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall on Sunday that at was investigated by the FBI as a hate crime
  • The picture shows a long rope fashioned into a loop, but with one end coiled around the knot, the image does have a striking resemblance to a noose 
  • Wallace wasn’t the person who reported the ‘noose’ to NASCAR or the FBI 
  • He has described himself as ‘relieved’ that it was not intended as a racist threat 

NASCAR has released a photo of the suspected ‘noose’ found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega on Sunday that at was investigated by the FBI as a possible hate crime before being revealed to be an innocent garage door pull rope that had been in use for at least a year.

The picture shows a long rope fashioned into a loop, but with one end coiled around the knot, the image does have a striking resemblance to a noose. 

NASCAR and the FBI both immediately launched investigations into the matter, which revealed that the same rope was being used as a garage pull in 2019 by a white driver, Paul Menard. Other videos from previous years showed similar garage door pulls being used by other drivers. 

NASCAR has released a photo of the suspected ‘noose’ found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega on Sunday that at was investigated by the FBI as a possible hate crime before being revealed to be an innocent garage door pull rope that had been in use for at least a year

Wallace wasn't the person who reported the suspected noose to NASCAR or the FBI

Wallace wasn’t the person who reported the suspected noose to NASCAR or the FBI

Wallace's garage stall at Talladega pictured after the suspected noose was cut down from the left side of the door opening. The 26-year-old Wallace was not the person who reported it

Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega pictured after the suspected noose was cut down from the left side of the door opening. The 26-year-old Wallace was not the person who reported it

Wallace, who did not discover the noose and wasn’t the person who reported it to NASCAR or the FBI, faced criticism for the misunderstanding on Wednesday, but described himself as ‘relieved’ that it was not intended as a racist threat.

‘I think we’ll gladly take a little embarrassment over what the alternatives could have been,’ he said in a statement.

Before the misunderstanding was revealed, all 39 other NASCAR drivers rallied in support of Wallace at Monday’s restart, collectively pushing his No. 43 car to the front of the grid in a show of solidarity. 

Wallace, an Alabama native, became overwhelmed with emotion and fought back tears as his car owner, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, gave him a hug in the moments before the race began.

All 39 other NASCAR drivers rallied in support of Wallace before Monday's restart, collectively pushing his No. 43 car to the front of the grid in a show of solidarity. Wallace, an Alabama native, became overwhelmed with emotion and fought back tears as his car owner, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, gave him a hug in the moments before the race began

All 39 other NASCAR drivers rallied in support of Wallace before Monday’s restart, collectively pushing his No. 43 car to the front of the grid in a show of solidarity. Wallace, an Alabama native, became overwhelmed with emotion and fought back tears as his car owner, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, gave him a hug in the moments before the race began

In response to NASCAR's ban, SCV had arranged for a small propeller plane to fly the Confederate Flag over the northern Alabama race track before Sunday's scheduled race at Talladega while a caravan of cars (pictured) paraded the rebel banner in front of the entrance

In response to NASCAR’s ban, SCV had arranged for a small propeller plane to fly the Confederate Flag over the northern Alabama race track before Sunday’s scheduled race at Talladega while a caravan of cars (pictured) paraded the rebel banner in front of the entrance

By Tuesday, an FBI investigation found that the item – which is described in a NASCAR statement as a ‘garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose’ – had been there since 2019, when a white driver was using that specific stall.

Wallace stressed that he remains thankful for the outpouring of support he received before Monday’s restart in Alabama, when his NASCAR rivals pushed his car to the front of the field in a show of solidarity.

‘Make no mistake, though some will try, this should not detract from the show of unity we had on Monday, and the progress we’ve made as a sport to be a more welcoming environment for all.’