NASCAR said Thursday that its examination of the Talladega racetrack showed only one noose, which was found in the garage of black driver Bubba Wallace's garage.
The noose was first reported Sunday after Wallace spoke out against the prominence of the Confederate flag at his races and NASCAR launched an investigation. By Tuesday, the FBI claimed that the noose had been in the garage since October.
NASCAR on Thursday released a photo showing the noose.
"Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week," the FBI said, deciding that there was no hate crime.
NASCAR said Thursday that its own investigation had looked at 1,684 garage stalls across 29 racetracks and found 11 ropes with a pulldown rope tied in a knot. Only one, the one found in Wallace's stall, was fashioned into a noose.
"Anyone who would suggest this was a hoax, I find personally offensive," NASCAR president Steve Phelps said. "I don't know how people think that way.
"The noose was real, as was our concern for Bubba."
Wallace has been outspoken since the noose was found, initially calling the noose a "despicable act of racism and hatred (that) leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism."
"Over the last several weeks, I have been overwhelmed by the support from people across the NASCAR industry including other drivers and team members in the garage. Together, our sport has made a commitment to driving real change and championing a community that is accepting and welcoming of everyone. Nothing is more important and we will not be deterred by the reprehensible actions of those who seek to spread hate," he tweeted.
"As my mother told me today, 'They are just trying to scare you.' This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in."
