Bubba Wallace is the only black driver in NASCAR and over the last few weeks, he has been fighting hard against racial injustice. The sport has southern roots that haven't always been the most welcoming. However, throughout the last years, NASCAR has been working on inclusion and diversity, with Bubba being a large part of that. For instance, Wallace drove a car that said "Black Lives Matter" on it, just last week. He also got NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag from all future events.
Unfortunately, Bubba's efforts have been met with resistance by some truly ignorant people. Just yesterday, a noose was found hanging in his garage, which bares some symbolism that many of you are well-aware of. In the aftermath of this incident, NASCAR has launched an investigation, and today, all the drivers showed solidarity to Bubba. Prior to the race at Talladega today, NASCAR wrote "I Stand With Bubba" in the infield, while also having every single driver and crew member walk his car out to the front of the pack, in a moment of solidarity.
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Wallace was overcome with emotion upon getting out of his car and was met by his team owner, the legendary Richard Petty. Following the tribute, the racers stood behind Bubba during the National Anthem before firing up their engines.
The race at Talladega is currently underway, with Wallace driving near the middle of the pack.