CHARLOTTE, Dec14: Noah Gragson has spent the last five months working on personal growth and maturity after his “like” of an insensitive meme of George Floyd nearly cost him his NASCAR career.
He’ll get a chance to show if he’s truly evolved with Stewart-Haas Racing, which said Wednesday it has hired Gragson to drive the No. 10 Ford in the Cup Series. It’s a second chance Gragson is not taking lightly after his career imploded in August.
Social media users noted that a meme circulating of Floyd, a Black man who was killed in 2020 by white police officers, had been “liked” by Gragson. NASCAR suspended the 25-year-old and he parted ways with Legacy Motor Club, which had hired the Las Vegas native for his first full season racing in the top Cup level.
Gragson, who had built a reputation as an aggressive driver both on and off the track in the second-tier Xfinity Series, reached out to good friend Brandon McReynolds and wondered why everything was falling apart in his life. “I was like ‘Man, what’s going on? Like, is this real? Why is this happening?’” Gragson recalled in an interview with The Associated Press.
“He said ‘Hey buddy, 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.’”
And that’s what Gragson did during his suspension, in which he had to work through a sensitivity training course with NASCAR but also sought professional help with a psychologist. Gragson said the work he’s put in over the last five months has been life-changing. (AP)
