Like most industries, NASCAR has a racism problem. One of the more obvious markers of that racism is the preponderance of Confederate memorabilia found in and around NASCAR events. This is something that NASCAR recently addressed by banning the flying of Confederate flags at sanctioned events. Most recently, the sport’s only Black full-time driver, Bubba Wallace, who has been outspoken in his support of the Black Lives Matter movement, had to face the grotesque abuses of systemic racism when a noose was found in his stall. While federal officials—after a two-day investigation—said that “no federal crime was committed,” the fact that of 1,684 garage stalls in the sport, the single noose found was in a Black NASCAR driver’s stall … is a reminder that our federal government is also rife with systemic racism.
And while drivers have shown their support for Wallace, some people in the sport have exposed themselves as being dumb and racist. Deadspin reports that on Wednesday, a North Carolina racetrack owner, Mike Fulp, thought he could have a good ol’ boys laugh and make some scratch by selling nooses on the Facebook marketplace. In fact, according to the report, Fulp called them “Bubba Rope.”
The page, which has since been pulled down, reportedly said: “Buy your Bubba Rope today for only $9.99 each, they come with a lifetime warranty and work great.” Fulp, who owns 311 Motor Speedway in Stokes County, received enormous and well-deserved backlash from everyone, all the way up to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who released a statement through his communications director, Ford Porter, condemning the post. "This incident of racism is horrific and shameful. North Carolina is better than this.''
According to USA Today, Fulp has already been promoting a “Heritage Night,” pressing attendees to purchase racist shit like the now-banned Confederate flags and Confederate flag-adorned hats. He also gives lip service to the “2nd Amendment.” Fulp sounds like he’s going for a trifecta of ignorant racist violence.
NASCAR drivers and teams showed their support for Wallace at the first event of the year on June 22, in Talladega, Alabama, by walking behind Bubba’s car as it was brought up for pregame festivities. But these important symbolic gestures are still only symbolic. Time, education, and the pursuit of equality (both economic and social) will dictate where our country goes from here.