FBI determines NASCAR's Bubba Wallace was not targeted by 'noose' found in garage

Bubba Wallace.
(Image credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The FBI completed its investigation into the discovery of a noose found Sunday in a NASCAR garage assigned to the series' only Black driver Bubba Wallace, determining that Wallace was not the target of a hate crime.

After conducting several interviews and reviewing NASCAR-confirmed video, investigators concluded the "garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose" had been in the same position since at least last October, while Wallace was only assigned the garage last week. In a statement, NASCAR expressed gratitude toward the FBI for its investigation and said it was "thankful that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba."

NASCAR president Steve Phelps will hold a teleconference at 6 p.m. ET to provide more details on the FBI investigation.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.