Published 12:01 IST, June 23rd 2020
Bubba Wallace sprints to the stands for meeting fans post race at NASCAR Talladega
An emotional Bubba Wallace sprinted towards the fans gathered at the NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway and high-fived them after the GEICO 500 race on Monday.
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NASCAR star Bubba Wallace met fans after the NASCAR Talladega race on Monday. Wallace is a popular figure on the NASCAR circuit and his support for the Black Lives Matter movement is highly regarded amongst the racing community in America. It was an emotional moment for the 26-year-old after a noose was found in his team garage yesterday before the GEICO 500 race was postponed due to inclement weather.
Bubba Wallace Noose: Emotional Bubba Wallace meets fans at the NASCAR Talladega
The last 24 hours have been difficult for Bubba Wallace, with Confederate flags flying over the NASCAR Talladega circuit and a noose being found in his garage. After the race, the 26-year-old sprinted towards the stands to greet viewers and high-five them who had gathered at the NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway after the GEICO 500. Speaking to Fox, Bubba Wallace said that this the most 'bada**' moment and him standing there after the race was 'cool' and an indication of how the sport was changing.
The 26-year-old added that it was tough after the Bubba Wallace noose incident and he felt like there was a burden on him, which he reveals he's proud to carry. Bubba Wallace was not wearing a mask despite the coronavirus guidelines and apologized for the same and claimed that he wanted to show nobody is going to take his smile away as he will continue to take a strong stand against racism.
"I wanted to show whoever it was that you're not going to take away my smile." - @BubbaWallace pic.twitter.com/wVSaGOxXtN
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2020
.@BubbaWallace walks out to the grandstands at @TalladegaSuperS to thank his fans for the support. pic.twitter.com/BH2pPVzd6i
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2020
Bubba Wallace Noose: NASCAR drivers support Bubba Wallace
It's moments like this that make us proud to have @BubbaWallace in the garage every weekend. pic.twitter.com/pJKQievxjP
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2020
NASCAR Talladega drivers showed their support to Bubba Wallace and pushed his No. 43 car to the front before the race. The idea reportedly came from Jimmy Johnson but the NASCAR Talladega drivers quickly joined to show their support to Wallace in an inspiring act of solidarity. The 26-year-old had issued a statement after NASCAR confirmed the Bubba Wallace noose incident, stating that he will continue to fight against racism in the sport and will not change his stance despite the outrage.
An 'angry and outraged' NASCAR have vowed to find the perpetrators and bring them justice. NASCAR have launched an investigation into the matter along with the FBI. According to NPR, NASCAR President Steve Phelps confirmed that the Bubba Wallace noose investigation will be compartmentalized and given the current COVID-19 capacity restrictions, there is a very small number of people that are in the footprint.
(Image Courtesy: Bubba Wallace Twitter)
12:01 IST, June 23rd 2020