NASCAR investigates Bubba Wallace’s hacked radio station at Race

CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — NASCAR has opened an investigation into how a derogatory message was broadcast on Bubba Wallace’s race team radio station during last weekend’s All-Star race.

Wallace, the only black NASCAR driver in the Cup Series, had just finished Sunday’s race at North Wilkesboro Speedway when a person who was not part of the 23XI Racing team said over the radio: “Go back where you came from” and then added another non-racist swear word.

NASCAR spokesman Mike Forde said Wednesday the series immediately tasked its security and race electronics teams with investigating the hack. He said Wallace did not hear the remark.

Forde said NASCAR is trying to determine who hacked Wallace’s radio communications, how it was done, and the best way to prevent it in the future.

Forde said the investigation was still ongoing and had taken place regardless of the nature of the comment.

“We certainly take this seriously,” he said. “But we cannot allow fans to disrupt team radio and potentially impact the competition.”

Wallace’s 23XI Racing team said Thursday it was in contact with NASCAR and was “confident of how they are handling the situation.”

NASCAR earlier this week said it had no plans to fine Wallace after he appeared to make an obscene gesture on camera before a live interview with Fox Sports.

Wallace, who is from Alabama, successfully challenged NASCAR in 2020 to ban the Confederate flag at their events.

He wasn’t shy about using his platform, but it drew criticism from critics and critics, including a noose found in his Talladega Superspeedway garage after he called for the Confederate flag to be banned.

The FBI concluded that the garage tow hitch was indeed designed as a sling, but that it was coincidental that it was in Wallace’s booth and that he was not the victim of a hate crime.