Why did Jimmie Johnson’s team suspend rookie Noah Gragson?
Legacy Motor Club have decided to suspend Noah Gragson after he liked some controversial Instagram post related to George Floyd.
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Noah Gragson at Talladega (Credits: @Wendys/ Twitter)
Getting the ticket to the NASCAR Cup Series after being recruited under the Legacy Motor Club was supposed to be a dream come true for Noah Gragson. The 24-year-old started his rookie season in the famed American motorsports series with many expectations to live up to. But unfortunately, his journey has been cut short due to his racist behavior on the internet as he “liked” an Instagram post about racism victim George Floyd.
Noah Gragson was last seen behind the wheels of the #42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 last weekend at the Federated Autoparts 400 in Richmond. And it all started when the Las Vegas native liked a dark humor meme posted by ‘Ibuddah,’ and the activity caught the attention of some of the fans. The post showed George Floyd, who was killed by strangulation as a US Police Officer held his neck under his knee even when he screamed for him to stop.
Fans found it horrific when Gragson ‘liked’ a post that found humor in George Floyd’s tragic death. This matter was soon taken to the Legacy Motor Club executives who then decided to suspend Noah Gragson for his actions. They issued a statement that read, “We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding the actions that do not represent the values of our team. Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Michigan.”
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Noah Gragson sets the record straight with an apology after the George Floyd controversy
Noah Gragson came under fire for his Instagram activity as soon as the fans found out about the post he had liked there. Taking notice of the online hate against him, Noah apologized on his official handle, admitting that he regrets his action and understands the severity of the situation. He said, “I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media. I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple.“
Unfortunately, as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, Noah Gragson is now a public figure, and his apparent excuse of admitting that he has “messed up” did not sit well with the Legacy Motor Club. To distance themselves from any such racist activities, they quickly shared their take on the entire incident. They stated that they do not endorse Gragson’s behavior and thus will be suspending him from the FireKeeper Casino 400 race in Michigan.
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Riddhi Mondal
(1821 Articles Published)