Bubba Wallace: There ‘Was a Noose’ in Garage, But ‘It Wasn’t Directed at Me’

On Tuesday’s “CNN Tonight,” NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace stated that what was found in his garage was a noose, pointing to statements by the FBI and NASCAR leadership on the matter, said the noose wasn’t directed at him, and expressed frustration that “people are trying to test my character and the person that I am, and my integrity.”

Wallace began the interview by saying, “I’m mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am, and my integrity. And they’re not stealing that away from me, but they’re just trying to test that.”

Wallace then gave his side of the story, saying that while he was in his motor home, NASCAR President Steve Phelps called him on the phone and requested that they talk face-to-face, and that, during the in-person conversation, Phelps told him that there had been a hate crime. Wallace added that he didn’t see or report the noose. He also said that he stands behind both Phelps and NASCAR.

He later stated that the image he saw of what was in his garage “is not a garage pull.” And that he has never seen a garage pull like that in his entire lifetime of racing. Wallace pointed to the FBI’s statement and statements by NASCAR’s leadership and stated, “It’s a straight-up noose.” Wallace also said that when he talked to his crew chief to ensure they “weren’t jumping the gun,” his crew chief told him that a knot like that couldn’t have been fashioned quickly and “took time.”

Wallace added, “It was a noose. It was a noose that — whether tied in 2019 or whatever, it was a noose. So, it wasn’t directed at me. But somebody tied a noose.”

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