Bubba Wallace Discusses Finding Noose, Support from NASCAR, More

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace spoke with CNN's Don Lemon and discussed the noose found in his garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday among other topics, including NASCAR's show of support on Monday prior to the Geico 500.

Per David Close and Jill Martin of CNN.com, an FBI report concluded that the noose found in Garage No. 4, where Wallace was assigned, had been there as early as October 2019. The FBI described it as a "garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose."

When asked about that conclusion and whether he thought the noose was directed at him, Wallace provided this response:

"It was a noose," Wallace replied. "Whether tied in 2019, or whatever, it was a noose. So it wasn't directed at me, but somebody tied a noose, that's what I am saying. It is a noose."

Lemon had asked Wallace earlier whether he felt the rope hanging from his stall was "typical" of standard garage pulls.

"Don, the image that I have and I have seen of what was hanging in my garage is not a garage pull. I've been racing all my life. We've raced out of hundreds of garages that never had garage pulls like that. So people that want to call it a garage pull and put out old videos and photos of knots as their evidence, go ahead, but from the evidence that we have, that I have, it's a straight-up noose.

"The FBI has stated it was a noose, over and over again. NASCAR leadership has stated it was a noose. I can confirm that.

"I actually got evidence of what was hanging in my garage over my car around my pit crew guy to confirm that it was a noose, and never seen anything like it. I talked to my crew chief about it. I said, 'Is this something?' Like, I wanted to make sure we weren't jumping the gun. And I said, 'This isn't a knot.'

"He's like, 'Bubba, this isn't something that can be done within a second of just tying a knot and being on the way. This is something that took time.'"

Wallace started 24th but ran in the top 10 for much of the final stage and even led a lap. He ran out of fuel near the end and had to pit but still finished 14th at the Lincoln, Alabama, race track.

Prior to the race, NASCAR showed its support of Wallace, most notably when his car was pushed down pit row followed by a throng of drivers, pit crew members and others.

Wallace spoke about that moment amid his feeling that he's received much support from drivers and others within NASCAR.

"I feel like there's a ton of support. We've seen everybody come together on Monday there. That was one of the coolest things that I've ever been able to be a part of. Not saying that I wanted that, but the drivers wanted to do that. They wanted to show support of me. Now it kind of looks bad, but it doesn't because within their hearts, they know that it is something they want to stand up for."

Wallace also referenced "really good conversations" he's had lately, including with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ty Dillon.

Wallace and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series field will now head to Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, this weekend.