Noah Gragson Suspended: In a startling turn of events that stunned NASCAR, rookie sensation Gragson was suspended from Legacy Motor Club and NASCAR.
An unpleasant social media contact changed Gragson’s career. An innocuous “like” on a joke landed him in trouble. The graphic mercilessly mocked Minneapolis police officers’ 2020 murder of George Floyd. The sport’s code of conduct was not broken, so action was taken immediately.
Legacy M.C. and Gragson ended their good friendship within days. As the team quickly created a succession plan, they felt the effects immediately. The 42 Chevrolet was driven by Mike Rockefeller, Josh Berry, and Carson Hocevar. The tremendous load Gragson left behind fell on them.
As racing fans prepare for 2024, Legacy Motor Club is making massive changes. The corporation will switch from Chevrolet to Toyota to try something fresh in motorsports. With this shift, the team announced that John-Hunter Nemechek would drive the No. 42 car full-time. This thrilling element to their ever-changing story.
Gragson went on a self-improvement vacation and underwent diversity and inclusion training from RISE, a famous NGO, to get his life back on track. Gragson cared about his personal growth and thought through this approach to eradicate racial injustice and achieve social fairness. The organization supported his hard work and urged him to return to NASCAR.
Now close to getting the green flag again, Gragson thanked NASCAR and all that assisted him during this challenging time. His statements indicated his sincerity in wanting to be a better person and a more focused, dedicated rival on and off the track.
Despite his short race experience, Gragson has accomplished much. After 39 Cup starts, his best finish was sixth at Daytona in 2022. He won 13 Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports in 135 races. Gragson’s back-to-back championship four appearances and 2022 2nd-place result confirmed his status as a contender. He won two Truck Series races with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 47 races. With his talent, he finished second in the title in 2018.
In other NASCAR series, discipline was felt. NASCAR focused primarily on Sheldon Creed’s NXS crew chief, Jeff Stankiewicz. He was fined $10,000 and suspended one race. The crime? After the Kansas race, two lug nuts on the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet were free.
The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet crew chiefs and No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet were penalized $5,000. They made blunders with loose or improperly tightened lug nuts. A mistake has its effects.
NASCAR punished the No. 02 and No. 9 Truck Series teams and drivers. They lost 10 title points apiece for violating NASCAR Rule Book Sections 14.4.12.2 A and B, which covered triangular filler panels. Discipline shows that the sport’s regulating body is always committed to purity.
Gragson’s atonement and the penalties for breaching the rules are intriguing chapters in stock car racing’s ever-changing world of engines and glory.
Our Reader’s Queries
Why did NASCAR suspend Noah?
Following his liking of a racially insensitive social media post on the death of George Floyd, Gragson was suspended indefinitely on August 5th. However, after a little over five weeks, he has been reinstated. As part of the reinstatement process, Gragson will need to complete a program conducted by RISE, the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality.
Did Noah Gragson get reinstated?
Following his completion of “diversity and inclusion training,” he was reinstated in September. Gragson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing and his eagerness to start racing as soon as possible. Despite the industry’s excitement for the offseason, Gragson is already looking ahead to 2024.
Why was NASCAR rookie suspended?
NASCAR Cup Series rookie, Noah Gragson, has been suspended indefinitely by both NASCAR and Legacy Motor Club for liking a racially insensitive George Floyd meme on Instagram. This action has resulted in severe consequences for Gragson, who will no longer be able to participate in any NASCAR events until further notice. The incident has sparked outrage among fans and the racing community, highlighting the importance of being mindful of the content we share on social media.
Where is Noah Gragson racing in 2023?
In 2023, Gragson made his way to the Cup Series with Legacy Motor Club. However, his performance in the No. 42 car was less than impressive, with an average finish of 28.2 over 22 races. Unfortunately, his journey was cut short when Nascar suspended him for liking an insensitive post on social media.
