UPDATE: NASCAR has opened an investigation into how a derogatory message was broadcast on the radio channel of Bubba Wallace’s race team during last weekend’s All-Star race.
Wallace, NASCAR’s only Black driver in the Cup series, had just finished Sunday’s race at North Wilkesboro Speedway when a person not on the 23XI Racing team said over the radio, “Go back to where you came from” and then added another non-racial expletive.
NASCAR spokesman Mike Forde said Wednesday the series immediately had its security and racing electronic teams look into the hack. He said Wallace did not hear the remark.
Forde said NASCAR is trying to determine who cracked Wallace’s radio communications and how it was done, as well the best method toward preventing it from happening in the future.
— Associated Press —
ORIGINAL POST 5-22-2023: Bubba Wallace’s strong performance in Sunday night’s NASCAR All-Star Race was marred by an unfortunate incident at the race’s conclusion.
Just after Wallace took the checkered flag and finished as runner-up to Kyle Larson in the $1 million-to-the-winner event at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, someone keyed into his No. 23 23XI Racing team radio channel with a derogatory message.
“Go back to where you came from you a******. You’re not wanted in NASCAR,” the person said.
A spokesperson for 23XI Racing told Motorsport.com that Wallace, the only full-time Black driver in NASCAR’s premier series, did not hear the comments or acknowledge them at the time.
NASCAR officials confirmed their security operation is investigating the incident in an attempt to determine who accessed his radio channel and how.
— Motorsport —