DANBURY, N.C. (AP) - The owner of a North Carolina racetrack advertised “Bubba Rope” for sale in a social media marketplace days after NASCAR said a noose had been found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace, the top series’ only Black driver, at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama
Mike Fulp, the owner of the half-mile (0.8 km) 311 Speedway in Stokes County, made the pitch Wednesday on Facebook Marketplace: “Buy your Bubba Rope today for only $9.99 each, they come with a lifetime warranty and work great.’’
Fulp’s Facebook followers criticized the ad, with some self-described loyal spectators saying they would stop attending events at the dirt track because of the post. Critical comments also appeared on the speedway’s Facebook page.
The ad had been taken down by midday Thursday. No one answered the phone at the speedway Thursday and the inbox couldn’t accept a message seeking comment.
NASCAR officials released a photo Thursday of the rope found Sunday in Wallace’s garage stall that prompted a federal investigation, which determined it had been there since October. The incident came less than two weeks after NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from its venues and races at Wallace’s urging.
Ford Porter, a spokeswoman for Gov. Roy Cooper, condemned Fulp’s remarks.
“This incident of racism is horrific and shameful,″ Porter said, according to the Greensboro News & Record. “North Carolina is better than this.″
Reidsville NAACP chapter president Jeff Crisp said he has contacted the state director of the NAACP about seeking criminal charges against Fulp, according to the newspaper.
A Facebook post on Fulp’s page Monday announced the speedway is sponsoring a “Heritage Night” on Saturday. A subsequent post encouraged fans to purchase a variety of items, including Confederate flags and caps, and added, “don’t forget your 2nd Amendment Right, 311 Speedway.”
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