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Black NASCAR Driver Receives Outpouring of Support After Discovery of Noose
in His Garage

VOA News

   A day after a noose was found in the team garage of African-American
   race car driver Bubba Wallace, his fellow drivers staged a moving show
   of support for him Monday.

   Shortly before the start of a NASCAR (National Association for Stock
   Car Auto Racing) race at Talladega Superspeedway in the southern state
   of Alabama, several drivers pushed Wallace's number 43 car to the front
   of pit row, followed by a long procession of other drivers and members
   of their pit crews. The procession moved past an area on the infield
   grass with the phrase "#IStandWithBubba" painted on it.

   An emotional Wallace partially emerged from the car after it came to a
   stop and broke down in tears. LegendaryNASCAR driver Richard Petty, who
   made the number 43 car a cultural icon and is co-owner of Wallace's
   team, walked up to Wallace and put his hands on his shoulders.

   Wallace is the lone African American driver in NASCAR's top-level Cup
   Series. He drew widespread support earlier this month when he
   successfully urged NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its races in
   the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while
   in police custody in Minneapolis last month.The flag, which represented
   the slave-owning southern U.S. states that split from the North during
   the 1861-65CivilWar, remainsa prominent symbol of southern culture, but
   many African Americans consider the flag a lasting symbol of slavery,
   racism and white supremacy.

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