NASCAR driver who was suspended for liking George Floyd meme to return after diversity training and seeing psychologist



NASCAR driver Noah Gragson will return for the 2024 Cup Series after undergoing re-education for "liking" a post on Instagram that made fun of George Floyd.

The driver was suspended indefinitely by his team, the Legacy Motor Club, and NASCAR for liking a meme mocking George Floyd.

The team said Gragson's actions did not "represent the values" they uphold. He was later released from his team at his request in August 2023.

Less than a month later, Gragson was reinstated by NASCAR following the completion of diversity training.

"Noah Gragson has completed diversity and inclusion training with our partners at RISE," a NASCAR spokesperson said, adding that the group recommended his reinstatement, which restored his member privileges.

RISE described itself as "a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations."

Gragson took to his social media to thank NASCAR for giving him a second chance.

It was later revealed by the driver in December 2023 that he had even decided to visit a psychologist regarding the ordeal.

Gragson told WPDE ABC 15 that he reached out to a friend at the time and wondered why his life was apparently falling apart.

"I was like ‘Man, what’s going on? Like, is this real? Why is this happening?'" Gragson reportedly said. The 25-year-old recalled that his friend said "'I'm going to tell you this because you're like a little brother to me, but it's time you grow up and it's time you take accountability and you allow yourself to take this opportunity to work on yourself and self reflect.'"

Gragson told the outlet that he had worked on self-improvement over a span of five months, which included NASCAR's diversity training along with seeking professional help from a psychologist. The Nevada native stated his eyes were opened "to the world," and he realized he was "a pretty selfish guy."

"I've learned to pay more attention, be more present, enjoy the people I'm with. This has really been a rude awakening of all the work I needed to do on myself."

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NASCAR announced that Gragson will race full-time for the Stewart-Haas team, starting in the 2024 season.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series begins with its first race on February 4, 2024.

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Elon Musk attempts to SAVE free speech by paying legal bills of X Users



Elon Musk just can’t seem to stop winning over the hearts and minds of the right.

The owner of X (formerly Twitter) has taken a stand against cancel culture after announcing that he will pay the legal fees of people who were fired for their activity on Twitter.

In a tweet this past weekend, Musk wrote: “If you were unfairly treated by your employer due to posting or liking something on this platform, we will fund your legal bill. No limit. Please let us know.”

“And we won’t just sue,” Elon added. “It will be extremely loud and we will go after the boards of directors of the companies too.”

“Them sound like fighting words to me,” Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host of "The News & Why It Matters," comments.

The announcement came just hours after 25-year-old NASCAR driver Noah Gragson was indefinitely suspended for liking a meme about George Floyd on social media.

While this is great news for conservatives everywhere, as they received the brunt of the censorship the past few years, Jason Buttrill notes this doesn’t account for all those who can’t get hired in light of their beliefs.

“There’s got to be like a list somewhere,” Buttrill says, “that says these are the people that are, you know, will not hire.”

While in general, Elon’s move appears to be a good thing, Buttrill also notes that the government was behind the censorship of social media posts and that members of the government are still pushing for more.

Ilhan Omar is one of these government officials.

According to Buttrill, the Minnesota representative recently said there need to be procedures and policies that clamp down on the online radicalization of white men.


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Popular NASCAR driver, 25, suspended indefinitely for liking a meme about George Floyd on social media



A popular and rising NASCAR driver was suspended indefinitely for liking a meme about George Floyd on social media.

Noah Gragson was suspended indefinitely by his team – the Legacy Motor Club on Saturday.

"We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team," Legacy Motor Club said in a statement. "Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan."

NASCAR not only agreed with the decision to suspend Gragson, but also suspended him indefinitely.

"NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson," the racing association stated. "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."

Gragson issued an apology online following his suspension.

"I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media," Gragson said on Twitter. "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."

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Gragson allegedly liked an insensitive meme about George Floyd on Instagram.

TMZ reported, "The image shows the live-action version of Sebastian the crab from 'The Little Mermaid,' with Floyd's face superimposed. A caption reads, 'Under Da Knee, Under Da Knee.'"

A little over two weeks after Floyd's death in May 2020, NASCAR announced it had banned the Confederate flag at all of its events and properties.

"The presence of the Confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry," NASCAR said at the time. "Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community it creates is what makes fans and sport special."

This was Gragson's first full season racing in the Cup series and he is 33rd in the standings after 22 starts.

The 25-year-old driver was awarded the Xfinity series "Most Popular Driver" award last year.

JR Motorsports said of Gragson last December, The Las Vegas native won eight races in the No. 9 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in 2022, including a record-tying run of four consecutive in the month of September. He led the team not just in victories, but also set an organizational record with 1,010 laps led along with a series-high 21 top-five finishes."

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