Racism at Talladega

[MU82]

Noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage.

Plane flies over track hauling a confederate flag.

I'd say, "unbelievable," but it's quite believable.

Said Wallace: "This will not break me. I will not give in, nor will I back down."

[Jockey]

Never a question of "if" - only when this would happen.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

https://sports.yahoo.com/day-of-reckoning-has-arrived-for-nascar-and-its-fans-112847929.html

"NASCAR's good ol' boys are indeed the foundation of NASCAR. The South's blend of swagger, daredevil attitude, reckless talent and anti-authoritarianism — the very qualities that all the best NASCAR drivers from Richard Petty to Dale Earnhardt to Tony Stewart to Kyle Busch have embodied — transformed the sport from a way to kill time between moonshine runs into a national phenomenon.

But the racism that leeched onto the sport as it rose? No. That's not part of the foundation. The racism is the termites eating away at NASCAR's foundation. We've all spent 70 years ignoring the rot down there, pretending it wasn't really all that bad, pretending it would go away one day. But rot doesn't go away on its own. You've got to face it, and face the fact that you've let it grow."

[Billy Hoyle]

Noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage.

Plane flies over track hauling a confederate flag.

I'd say, "unbelievable," but it's quite believable.

Said Wallace: "This will not break me. I will not give in, nor will I back down."

It has to be an inside job considering how tight the security is in that area. Even drivers don't have access to it per ESPN. There should be plenty of cameras in there too.

[MU82]

It has to be an inside job considering how tight the security is in that area. Even drivers don't have access to it per ESPN. There should be plenty of cameras in there too.

Here's hoping.

[warriorchick]

This is amazing.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1275148644304519174

[Galway Eagle]

This is amazing.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1275148644304519174

Truly incredible. Good for nascar for responding like this. 

Also maybe don't take off the mask when you're about to be hugging a ton of people in a massive crowd... on tv with a ton of people watching

[Jockey]

This is amazing.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1275148644304519174

The tweet is.

The replies? Umm.... we'll see.

[Billy Hoyle]

meanwhile, a "white lives matter' banner flies over Burnley's match against Man City today.

The tweet is.

The replies? Umm.... we'll see.

the replies on Twitter and Facebook often make me weep for the state of humanity (of course, when the name is Mike1232492 they're posing out of a troll farm in Eastern Europe).

[jesmu84]

This is amazing.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1275148644304519174

Got real dusty in my house while watching. Weird coincidence

[JWags85]

I think this represents a fascinating shift in NASCAR. Since 2000, guess how many NASCAR Cup champions have been from "the South", the core of NASCAR's base and popularity?....ONE.  And that was Bobby Labonte in 2000. The rest have been from California, Michigan, Indiana, Nevada, Wisconsin and the NASCAR hot beds of NJ and CT.  Sure most drivers move to NC and have been around Southern tracks and circuits most of their pro careers, but they didn't necessarily grow up in that stereotypical NASCAR culture that has those elements of the Confederate flag and racism.

Racism is everywhere as we've seen. But I don't think Jimmie Johnson starting out in El Cajon, CA, the Busch brothers in Vegas, or Joey Logan's carting in CT associated the Stars and Bars intricately with stock car racing

[MU82]

Wags, when I was saying it wasn't "unbelievable," I wasn't talking about NASCAR. I don't follow the sport and I really know very little about the competitors or the spirit of brotherhood (or lack thereof) between drivers and teams. I do know they have a lot of good ol' boy fans, but so do college and pro football.

I simply wasn't all that surprised that racism reared its ugly head there, and I won't be surprised to see white supremacists and other racists make a big show of things at other sporting events either once they get started up. Kneeling at football games will be a huge thing to some white folks, who will be whipped to a fever pitch by the guy who already has broken his proclamation of just a few weeks ago that he is "an ally of all peaceful protesters."

White supremacists always feel threatened -- it's always, "they" are taking over "our" country -- but especially so now, as Black Lives Matter and community movements actually start to make progress.

[JWags85]

Wags, when I was saying it wasn't "unbelievable," I wasn't talking about NASCAR. I don't follow the sport and I really know very little about the competitors or the spirit of brotherhood (or lack thereof) between drivers and teams. I do know they have a lot of good ol' boy fans, but so do college and pro football.

I simply wasn't all that surprised that racism reared its ugly head there, and I won't be surprised to see white supremacists and other racists make a big show of things at other sporting events either once they get started up. Kneeling at football games will be a huge thing to some white folks, who will be whipped to a fever pitch by the guy who already has broken his proclamation of just a few weeks ago that he is "an ally of all peaceful protesters."

White supremacists always feel threatened -- it's always, "they" are taking over "our" country -- but especially so now, as Black Lives Matter and community movements actually start to make progress.

I hear you. I think I was more reckoning how immediate and unified the movement with Wallace was. NASCAR sort of has the reputation that would lead people to not be entirely surprised about aggressive racism as you showed. But more reacting to the deviation of that reputation and the fans that drive it...and the drivers themselves.

[MU82]

I hear you. I think I was more reckoning how immediate and unified the movement with Wallace was. NASCAR sort of has the reputation that would lead people to not be entirely surprised about aggressive racism as you showed. But more reacting to the deviation of that reputation and the fans that drive it...and the drivers themselves.

Yessir, I was impressed and heartened. That, and some of the other stuff we have seen out of some parts of the country, gives me hope that more progress can be made.

[Hards Alumni]

Honesty question here... how have they not caught the party responsible yet?  It's a very secure area, and I would guess there are plenty of cameras.

[Keithtisbarf]

One interesting thing about the South, they refuse to believe they lost the Civil War.

[Pakuni]

Honesty question here... how have they not caught the party responsible yet?  It's a very secure area, and I would guess there are plenty of cameras.

I mean, it's been a day. While it's a secure area, there are still hundreds of people coming and going in the garage area. A racing team is about 20 members, times 40 teams. Plus NASCAR officials and staff, sponsors, media, track employees, etc.
And given the intense interest, a rush to judgement does no one any good.

[JWags85]

I mean, it's been a day. While it's a secure area, there are still hundreds of people coming and going in the garage area. A racing team is about 20 members, times 40 teams. Plus NASCAR officials and staff, sponsors, media, track employees, etc.
And given the intense interest, a rush to judgement does no one any good.

I've seen multiple parties surmising that it was an "inside job" of sorts. Obviously not Wallace's team itself, but another team staff or track staff with access and means to do it surreptitiously. As opposed to a fan who would waltz in with a rope

[mu03eng]

No way it was a fan....in normal times, maybe as fans with enough money can get real close to the garages. In pandemic times, its absolutely some sort of employee who did it. To Pakuni's point there is not reason to rush this....whoever did this should be rightly pilloried in public, banned for life, etc and deservedly so, but given the nature of the internet if you get the wrong person, even initially, it would be a disaster.

It has been 48 hours and given how NASCAR has responded so far I actually have confidence they will get this right.

[jsglow]

No way it was a fan....in normal times, maybe as fans with enough money can get real close to the garages. In pandemic times, its absolutely some sort of employee who did it. To Pakuni's point there is not reason to rush this....whoever did this should be rightly pilloried in public, banned for life, etc and deservedly so, but given the nature of the internet if you get the wrong person, even initially, it would be a disaster.

It has been 48 hours and given how NASCAR has responded so far I actually have confidence they will get this right.

The thought crossed my mind that the perpetrator might have walked in the procession yesterday, hidden, but only for the moment, in plain sight.  It was also not lost on me that Wallace drives the iconic #43 and that the man who gave him that ride is the greatest driver who has ever lived.  It's why we judge individual people, not groups.

[Pakuni]

The thought crossed my mind that the perpetrator might have walked in the procession yesterday, hidden, but only for the moment, in plain sight.  It was also not lost on me that Wallace drives the iconic #43 and that the man who gave him that ride is the greatest driver who has ever lived.  It's why we judge individual people, not groups.

Richard Petty has been avoiding public appearances because of his age and COVID, but made a point yesterday to be at Talladega to stand with Wallace.  Character revealed.

[warriorchick]

One interesting thing about the South, they refuse to believe they lost the Civil War.

You could not be more wrong.

The South is well aware that they lost the Civil War; there are simply a few people (much fewer than many Northerners think) that are still a little salty about it.

[Pakuni]

You could not be more wrong.

The South is well aware that they lost the Civil War; there are simply a few people (much fewer than many Northerners think) that are still a little salty about it.

Yeah, I don't think the problem is that they don't know they lost.
The problem is some wish they hadn't. The Lost Cause remains strong.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I think this represents a fascinating shift in NASCAR. Since 2000, guess how many NASCAR Cup champions have been from "the South", the core of NASCAR's base and popularity?....ONE.  And that was Bobby Labonte in 2000. The rest have been from California, Michigan, Indiana, Nevada, Wisconsin and the NASCAR hot beds of NJ and CT.  Sure most drivers move to NC and have been around Southern tracks and circuits most of their pro careers, but they didn't necessarily grow up in that stereotypical NASCAR culture that has those elements of the Confederate flag and racism.

Racism is everywhere as we've seen. But I don't think Jimmie Johnson starting out in El Cajon, CA, the Busch brothers in Vegas, or Joey Logan's carting in CT associated the Stars and Bars intricately with stock car racing

I know this is only tangentially related to your point, but I have seen more stars and bars than I would have expected prior to moving to CT.  Just reinforces that we all have a problem here...its not just the cities, the south or fill in your personal location.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I know this is only tangentially related to your point, but I have seen more stars and bars than I would have expected prior to moving to CT.  Just reinforces that we all have a problem here...its not just the cities, the south or fill in your personal location.

Frenns, they are here.  Limited in number but present.

There's a very New England term for them.  It's called Swamp Yankees.