Noose found in Bubba Wallace’s NASCAR garage

Just before NASCAR’s first race after banning Confederate flags at its tracks, a crew member found a noose in the garage of the driver who pushed for the change. Bubba Wallace is the only full-time African American driver in the racing organization. The FBI, the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, and federal prosecutors are investigating the Sunday incident at Wallace’s garage stall at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

How did fans respond to the ban? Although security prevented people from bringing Confederate flags to the racetrack on Monday, people drove by the entrance displaying the symbol on their vehicles, and an airplane flew over with a banner that read, “Defund NASCAR.” In an act of solidarity, the other drivers pushed Wallace’s car to the front of the field before the race.

Dig deeper: Read Sharon Dierberger’s report in Muse about how the NFL and other sports leagues are responding to concerns about racism.