NASCAR driver Noah Gragson who was placed on an indefinite suspension for liking an offensive image about George Floyd, has asked to be let go by Legacy Motor Club.
Last week, Gragson was suspended from both NASCAR and Legacy Motor Club for liking a meme embodying the face of Floyd, who passed away in 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nine and a half minutes.
The 25-year-old immediately apologized, claiming he was “disappointed” in himself for his “lack of attention on social media.”
However, now Gragson has asked the team to terminate his contract, two days after LMC declared he would be replaced for the next two races.
“I have asked LEGACY MOTOR CLUB to release me from my contract so that I can take time to work through the NASCAR reinstatement process,” Gragson said in a statement.
“I love racing, and I am looking forward to a second chance to compete for wins at the highest level of NASCAR and most importantly, make my family, my team and the fans proud of me once again.”
The CEO of Legacy Motor Club Cal Wells also issued a statement, declaring what happened as “difficult” and affirming Gragson’s ability to bounce back stronger.
“Noah has a ton of talent and has a great personality,” Wells said.
“This is a difficult situation, but we are proud that Noah has taken ownership of his actions and are confident he will work through this process with NASCAR and come back stronger.”
Floyd’s death caused ripples around the world, igniting massive protests in a number of nations and compelling a national reckoning on injustices based on race. Gragson liked the nasty meme that was shared by an unknown Instagram account with only about 1,700 followers.
NASCAR issued a statement at the weekend in support of LMC’s decision to suspend Gragson indefinitely for breaking the rules governing member conduct.
“NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson,” a statement from the sporting body read.
“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.”
Before being suspended, the NASCAR driver had been racing in his first full-time Cup Series season.
