NASCAR is opening up yet another investigation into a controversy involving Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace.
The investigation stems from an incident from the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 21, when a derogatory message was broadcast on the radio channel of Wallace’s race team.
Wallace, who is the only Black driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, had just finished the All-Star race when a person not on his 23XI Racing team said over the radio, “Go back to where you came from,” before adding what was described as a “nonracial expletive.”
“We certainly take that seriously, no doubt about that,” NASCAR spokesman Mike Forde said Wednesday, per ESPN. “But we can’t have fans interfering with team radio and potential competition implications.”
Wallace’s career has been full of incidents related to his standing as NASCAR’s only Black driver. The Alabama native successfully called on NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its events in 2020 and has not been shy in using his platform. That has led to scrutiny around the sport, including when a garage rope fashioned as a noose was found in his garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway following his move to have the Confederate flag banned.
Wallace has found himself in some trouble relating to NASCAR recently, being suspended for a dustup with Kyle Larson and being caught on camera flipping the bird after the All-Star race Sunday.
