FBI states noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall was there since October 2019

The Federal Bureau of Investigation concluded that Bubba Wallace wasn’t the target of a hate crime and that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose discovered in Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega had been there as early as October 2019 – well prior to the Talladega Superspeedway race weekend.

Full statement from FBI: #nascar ⁦@NASCARONFOX⁩ pic.twitter.com/wJY14YDGDK

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 23, 2020

The FBI, which sent 15 agents to the track Monday, issued a statement stating that no federal crime had occurred and that no one could have known last year what stall the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 team would work in for the 2020 race.

“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,” NASCAR said in a statement.

pic.twitter.com/NCYiNBSuFn

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2020

“This was obviously well before the 43 team’s arrival and garage assignment. We appreciate the FBI’s quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba.”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps said earlier on Monday that a Richard Petty Motorsports crew member saw the noose when he went to the garage stall Sunday afternoon. During a teleconference on Tuesday, Phelps insisted that the 43 team had nothing to do with the incident and that NASCAR is still investigating.

“The No. 43 team had nothing to do with this.” NASCAR President Steve Phelps with more details on the results of the FBI’s investigation from Talladega. pic.twitter.com/msk3iGjVul

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 23, 2020

NASCAR President Steve Phelps said Tuesday night it is still investigating how the garage pull rope was made to look like a noose. NASCAR checked every other garage stall and none had been shaped like a noose.

“The last race we had had there in October, that noose was present, and the fact that it was not found until a member of the 43 team came there is something that is a fact,” Phelps said. “We had not been back to the garage. It was a quick one‑day show.

“The crew member went back in there. He looked and saw the noose, brought it to the attention of his crew chief, who then went to the NASCAR series director Jay Fabian, and we launched this investigation.”

“Yesterday … was one of the most important days we’ve had.” – NASCAR President Steve Phelps pic.twitter.com/gYvhwCL5Bj

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 23, 2020

Phelps said he felt calling the FBI was justified.

“To be clear, we would do this again,” he said. “Of the evidence that we had, it was clear that we needed to look into this.”

Teams don’t work in the garage much during the current COVID-19 race day format where they roll off the truck, go through tech and push the car to the grid. They only spend significant time in a garage stall if they fail tech or need to fix something during the race.

“The FBI learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week,” the FBI said in a statement. “The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019.

“Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week.”

NASCAR #RaceHub reacts to the latest news regarding the incident at Talladega. pic.twitter.com/4dT24sErl7

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 23, 2020

Wood Brothers Racing had that garage stall last October.

“One of our employees alerted us yesterday morning that, without knowing the details of the incident, he recalled seeing a tied handle in the garage pull-down rope from last fall,” Wood Brothers Racing said in a statement.

“We immediately alerted NASCAR and have assisted the investigation in every way possible.”

STATEMENT ON THE COINCIDENCE OF OUR STALL FROM 2019 AND THE INVESTIGATION pic.twitter.com/SJgKus8o8T

— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) June 23, 2020

Here’s a timeline of recent events involving Wallace and NASCAR.

June 1: Wallace and NASCAR pledged to advocate for change when it comes to racism and racial inequality.

pic.twitter.com/ALtTVvzfoy

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 1, 2020

June 7: At Atlanta Motor Speedway, Wallace wore a shirt that said “I Can’t Breathe,” a NASCAR official took a knee during the national anthem, and several drivers contributed to a video put together by Wallace and seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson stating that they would advocate for change.

✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/GzkbpEAROM

— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 7, 2020

There was also a moment of silence prior to the start of the race followed by NASCAR President Steve Phelps addressing the teams about NASCAR’s commitment for change.

A moment of silence and a message from NASCAR President Steve Phelps and drivers. pic.twitter.com/jy1U48qeLX

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 7, 2020

June 8: A day after Atlanta, Wallace appeared on CNN and called for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag.

Bubba Wallace on CNN Monday night

“My next step would be getting rid of all Confederate flags” at NASCAR events pic.twitter.com/3c76cl4h1T

— Alan Cavanna (@AlanCavanna) June 9, 2020

June 10: NASCAR banned the Confederate flag:

“The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”

pic.twitter.com/gJkIfVf3Ba

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020

That same day at Martinsville, Wallace ran a “Black Lives Matter” paint scheme in what he called the “biggest race” of his career.

“Probably the biggest race of my career.”- @BubbaWallace is ready for Martinsville with his #BlackLivesMatter No. 43 machine.#HotPass | @RPMotorsports pic.twitter.com/52PsRgqR00

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 10, 2020

June 21: Protesters with Confederate flags were outside, off of track property, and a plane flew by the track with the Confederate flag and the message “Defund NASCAR” prior to Sunday’s scheduled race.

The race was postponed to Monday because of rain, before NASCAR released the statement late Sunday night about finding the noose.

This is a developing story.