After a thorough investigation, the FBI determined on Tuesday that the noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, over the weekend had been there since October 2019. After this finding, the FBI stated that no hate crime had been committed against Wallace and that no federal charges will be pursued.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town said in a joint statement on Tuesday that, “After a thorough review of the facts and evidence surrounding this event, we have concluded that no federal crime was committed.”
The FBI statement also said the noose “was in that garage as early as October 2019” and cited evidence including “authentic video confirmed by NASCAR.”
NASCAR commented on the FBI investigation on Tuesday. “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,” the statement continued. “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.”
Wallace is the first black full-time race-car driver to race in the Cup Series in around 50 years. He has yet to comment on the new FBI findings regarding this case.
Wallace recently requested that NASCAR remove all Confederate flags at raceways. NASCAR honored his request and said in a statement on June 10, “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.”
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