#IStandWithBubba

When the news flashed before me today I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I thought it was a mistake at first, but then it came on my local news and I knew it was true. Someone had put a noose in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall. At first,I felt sick and then outrage. Who would do something so heinous “good ole boys” sport. Most of them had fast cars because they were running moonshine. It a Southern sport for the most part then.

However, along came Jeff Gordon. He dressed nice, looked nice, and had crazy talent which started a shift in the sport. Other drivers were starting to take notice of him and suddenly NASCAR blew up with fans. The rivalry between Jeff and Dale Earnhardt made it exciting.

It’s not a ‘good ole boys’ sport dominated by young white moonshiners anymore and it hasn’t been for a long time now. Times have changed since then, but not enough when it comes to racism. I have even heard people say he probably did it for attention. Yes, he was behind the Confederate Flag being banned from NASCAR, but change is needed. There was never a time for it, no longer will it be tolerated. Whoever did this is just sick and I truly hope they are caught.

We need to be the leaders to eradicate racism in NASCAR. We need to change how we treat each other regardless of skin color.

I was so proud to see the support he had from his fellow drivers before the race. Watching them roll his car to the front of the field then surround him in solidarity brought tears to my eyes. I know not everyone will feel like I do. Hatred is a hard thing to overcome. I just ask you to put yourself in his shoes or anyone else’s for that matter. Maybe then you can see that change can be a good thing.

NASCAR is fully behind Wallace and investigating this incident. “There is no room for this,” they said and added, “We are angry and outraged and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act. There is no place for racism in NASCAR.”

As Wallace said,” This will not break me.” He went on to say, “Sorry, I’m not wearing a mask because I want everyone to see that I am still smiling.”

Keep on smiling Bubba you have a lot of people standing with you.