NASCAR racer Noah Gragson is being dragged online after his statements after liking an insensitive meme about George Floyd became a hot topic this weekend.
via: Complex
The 25-year-old driver liked a photo of George Floyd’s face superimposed over The Little Mermaid’s Sebastian with the caption, “UNDER DA KNEE.” The caption is in reference to the crab’s iconic song “Under The Sea,” with the lyrics switched to refer to Floyd’s 2020 murder when Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck and back for almost ten minutes.
In a statement shared on Twitter, NASCAR defended its decision to suspend Gragson, saying that he “violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book.”
NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. Following his actions on social media, NASCAR has determined that Gragson has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and has placed him under indefinite suspension.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 5, 2023
Following Legacy Motor Club’s announcement that Josh Berry will be replacing him this weekend at the race in Michigan, Gragson took to Twitter to apologize.
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. https://t.co/PCX6iMJxRF— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) August 5, 2023
According to Sports Illustrated, Gragson is currently ranked No. 33 in points (199) and recently finished 28th in his last race.
