Polarizing NASCAR star Bubba Wallace has found himself at the center of yet another controversy — and it’s one that is eerily reminiscent of his most infamous incident.
Allegations, seemingly confirmed by Wallace’s team, have surfaced that someone hijacked the team radio during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina.
The radio interloper allegedly made a disparaging comment about Wallace — the only full-time driver in the Cup Series who is black — not belonging in NASCAR.
Wallace hadn’t commented publicly on the alleged incident as of Monday afternoon, but his team, 23XI Racing, confirmed with Motorsport.com that someone had keyed into the team radio channel.
“Go back to where you came from, you a**hole. You’re not wanted in NASCAR,” the person reportedly told Wallace and his crew over their radios.
23XI told the outlet that Wallace did not hear or respond to those comments.
NASCAR told Motorsport.com the incident was under investigation and it would be seeking “to determine who accessed his radio channel and how.”
The ordeal strongly calls to mind an ugly moment in Wallace’s career — the faux “noose” from June 2020.
In that incident, the driver claimed he found a “noose” hanging in his garage, with the obvious implication, again, being that Wallace is “out of place” in NASCAR.
Despite Wallace’s insistence otherwise, an FBI investigation ultimately found that the “noose” was nothing more than a garage door pull rope that had been in the garage the year prior.
Since then, he has found himself in a number of controversies.
The latest stemmed from the same event where his team’s radio was supposedly hijacked.
Wallace, who finished in second place at the All-Star Race, came under public scrutiny for flashing a middle finger for all of NASCAR to see while being interviewed after the race.
WARNING: The following tweet contains imagery some viewers might find offensive.
Real professional there @BubbaWallace @23XIRacing flipping the bird at the start of his post race interview. No class man. #NASCAR @NASCAR @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/bg7fiIrHol
— Charlie Waffles (@CWaffles) May 22, 2023
Many felt that the obscene gesture was directed at his critics.
NASCAR has not addressed the middle finger.
Jorden you need to talk to Bub a
Just the latest pathetic attempt for NASCAR to gain relevence again. Buba Wallace is probably the most over-rated driver of the past 5 years in this ‘sport’. First, we had the garage door rope incident, (which turned out to be a hoax). A purposely designed situation to make it appear there was prejudice against Wallace. Now this. Do you ever notice one thing: IT’S ALWAYS ALL ABOUT THE BLACKS.
I think the blacks should stick w/ what they do best. Basketball, dancing, and killing each other. Every time I see a black on a golf course, tennis court, or even bowling on TV, I laugh! I know they made the cut w/ a whole lotta help that no other white competitor got, (i.e. favoritism via Affirmative Action points, etc.).