NASCAR Driver Noah Gragson has issued a statement after being suspended indefinitely for liking a meme mocking the death of George Floyd, who was killed on May 25, 2020 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes.
Floyd’s death sparked massive protests around the world, led by Black Lives Matter and more. Since, the officer responsible for kneeling on Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, has been convicted of murder as of April 2021.
Also, in the wake of Floyd’s death, NASCAR banned the Confederate flag at events and venues, after its only Black driver Bubba Wallace called for a ban, affirming there was “no place” for it in the sport.
RELATED: NASCAR Driver Bubba Wallace Calls To Ban Confederate Flag From Tracks
On Saturday (August 5), the Legacy Motor Club announced the indefinite suspension of their 25-year-old NASCAR driver after he violated the member conduct section of the organization’s rules. In part, the rules state that members should not publicly disparage people based on their background.
Gragson, who was in his first full season as a driver in the Cup Series (NASCAR’s top league), ended up losing his spot to Josh Berry after it was learned that he liked a racially insensitive meme mocking the death of George Floyd.
The meme included a stock photo of a crab in the ocean, with George Floyd’s head photoshopped onto the creature’s body. The picture included a text that read, “Under da knee. Under da knee,” mocking the way in which Floyd was killed while referencing the famous ‘Little Mermaid‘ song, “Under The Sea.”
Following the suspension and outrage on social media, Gragson took to his official account on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter. While he did not directly address the meme, he did acknowledge his actions.
In his tweet, Gragson posted a photo of the Legacy Motor Club announcing he was indefinitely suspended and being replaced with another driver. The announcement read, “We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his 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 at Michigan.”
Replying to the photo, Gragson stated, “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.”
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