Following a tense week for NASCAR, where the sport was at the forefront of the fight for social equality, announcer Mike Joy called out his colleagues and addressed the matter during Saturday’s race.
After NASCAR’s decision to ban the Confederate flag was met with some protest, a noose was found in a Talladega Super Speedway garage being used by Bubba Wallace, their only Black driver. Ultimately, the FBI determined the noose had been in the garage since 2019 and was not directed at Wallace. The finding caused many fans and media members to criticize NASCAR, but Mike Joy countered anyone who has turned on Wallace or the sport.
The Pocono Organics 325 experienced a rain delay Saturday and Joy used the time on FOX to address NASCAR’s handling of the noose and dispel any notion of it being a hoax.
“All across media, pundits that don’t know Rusty Wallace from Bubba Wallace from Bubba Watson or Bubba Pollard, have all weighed in as they tried to settle on the answers to two questions,” Joy said. “First, was this a Jussie Smollett-style grab for attention? Absolutely not! The drivers are not even allowed in the garage area during the pandemic. Wallace never saw the noose, only was told about it.”
Joy noted if this happened last year, maybe NASCAR would have quietly moved on without alerting Wallace, the FBI and media. But in the wake of protesters gathering outside of Talladega Super Speedway and a Confederate flag flying overhead, NASCAR rightfully acted swiftly.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.