NASCAR's Bubba Wallace Says He's Offended by Noose Conspiracy Theories

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace said he was "offended" but not surprised to learn of conspiracy theories regarding the noose that was discovered in his garage at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

During an appearance on The View, Wallace said, "Simple-minded people like that, the ones that are afraid of change, they use everything in their power to defend what they stand up for instead of trying to listen and understand what's going on."

The 26-year-old, who's the only Black full-time driver in NASCAR, also said he has spoken with the FBI, which is investigating the incident.

After the noose was found, NASCAR said it was launching an investigation:

The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd led many Americans to protest and demand for meaningful reforms addressing racial inequality and systemic racism. Wallace is among the prominent athletes who have joined the cause.

He had been outspoken about wanting to see the organization officially ban the Confederate flag from all events, which became a reality shortly after he made his comments.

After the discovery of the noose, NASCAR has rallied around Wallace. A group of drivers helped push the No. 43 car to the end of pit road prior to Monday's GEICO 500:

After the race, Wallace gave an emotional interview to Fox Sports:

Talladega may not have been the only NASCAR venue that witnessed a racist act recently. Sonoma Raceway confirmed Monday night that "a piece of twine tied in what appeared to be a noose" was found hanging from a tree on its property, per ESPN.

The track hosts an annual NASCAR Cup Series trace, though the 2020 edition was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.