Team owner Richard Petty issued the following statement Monday morning:
“I’m enraged by the act of someone placing a noose in the garage stall of my race team. 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.”
A NASCAR statement Sunday night confirmed that a noose was found in the garage stall of the No. 43 team at Talladega Superspeedway. Bubba Wallace drives the No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty. The lone black driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Wallace has used his voice and platform over recent weeks to speak out against racial injustice in the world.
In its statement, NASCAR said it “will do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport.”