NASCAR has released the first official image of the garage door rope designed with a rope-style knot found in Bubba Wallace’s garage at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, and said an internal investigation determined it was the only one present in any of the 29 tracks you visit.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps said this photo of the ‘rope’ was taken by NASCAR security.
(NASCAR)
The discovery led to an FBI hate crime investigation that determined he had been there at least since last October and was not directed at Wallace. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement and was instrumental in NASCAR’s recent decision to ban the Confederate flag at its events.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps said he should have used the word “alleged” and drew some of the excitement from the discovery’s initial announcement on Monday, in which he referred to it as an “heinous act,” which was followed by He was very supportive of Wallace from the NASCAR field before the start of the Geico 500 later that day.
Phelps said internal investigation found the rope was not present at the start of the October Cup weekend in Talladega, but was there at the end. However, he said there is insufficient evidence to determine who created it or why. The NASCAR investigation also examined 1,684 track garage locations across the country and found only 11 with pull ropes that had knots tied at the end, but the one in Wallace’s garage was the only one that looked like a lasso.
Wallace said he was “embarrassed” by the incident, but relieved to learn that it was not directed at him. He never saw the rope in person, which he told ESPN was discovered by an African-American member of his team who reported it to NASCAR. Phelps said he is concerned that he has not registered with anyone before, but reconfirmed that Wallace’s team had nothing to do with it, which some alleged on social media.
“I am so proud of you for using your platform, wrote Wallace’s girlfriend, Amanda Carter, on Instagram. “I would like people who said hurtful comments to know you. I would like everyone to know you.”
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