'Can you afford this car?': NASCAR's Bubba Wallace says he has endured racism at the hands of the police
- NASCAR's Bubba Wallace says he has endured racism at the hands of the police.
- "I've had my fair share of incidents with law enforcement," the 26-year-old told the New York Post. "Smart remarks, condescending remarks to downplay who I am and what I can afford."
- Wallace has been at the center of an FBI investigation following reports that a noose was found in his garage on ahead of the Talladega Superspeedway.
- NASCAR said on Sunday that a noose had been found in Wallace's stall, however the FBI later concluded that the rope was a "door pull" that had been there for at least eight months.
Bubba Wallace says he has endured racism at the hands of the police.
Speaking with the New York Post, Wallace, who is NASCAR's only Black driver, said: "I've had my fair share of incidents with law enforcement.
"Whether they're saying smart remarks, condescending remarks to downplay who I am and what I can afford."
Asked to describe the experiences, the 26-year-old said: "Just like I said, condescending remarks: 'Can you afford this car? It's a nice car.' You don't know who I am, how much money I make. You're totally asking that because I'm an African-American guy."
"It's something that made me stronger on the back end of it, and learned from those instances. But it's something that A LOT of people go through, and it's always different circumstances for everybody. The common denominator is racism. But every encounter's different.
"It's just unfortunate times that we live in that it still goes on."
Wallace has been at the center of an FBI investigation following reports that a noose was found in his garage on ahead of the Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR said in a statement on Sunday that a noose had been found in the stall of the 43 team, however the FBI later concluded that the rope was a "door pull" that had been there for at least eight months.
The FBI's conclusion has led to accusations of the incident being a hoax, which Wallace vehemently denies.
"I'm pissed," Wallace told CNN. "I'm mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity. They're not stealing that from me, but trying to test that."
Prior to Monday's GEICO 500 race, Wallace's fellow drivers showed their support for him by pushing his car to the front of the grid before standing alongside him during the national anthem.
Wallace went on to produce his best ever finish at Talladega, crossing the line in 14th.
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