Noah Gragson, Legacy Motor Club release statement on parting of ways, NASCAR suspension

Noah Gragson and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB have released a statement, revealing they’ve officially parted ways on Thursday, following the driver’s suspension from NASCAR.

According to the statement, Gragson requested to be released from his contract with the organization. The Cup Series rookie provided his thoughts on the matter, explaining his decision and looking towards his future as a driver.

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— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LegacyMotorclub) August 10, 2023

“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, via the team’s 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.”

Continuing, Cal Wells III, the CEO of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, added some words of encouragement for Gragson, believing that he’ll be back behind the wheel for some team in the near future.

“Noah has a ton of talent and has a great personality,” added Wells. “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.”

Moreover, the whole situation stems from Gragson liking a post on Instagram mocking the death of George Floyd. In response, his team sidelined him ahead of last Sunday’s race, and they’ve now come to the decision to move on.

When LEGACY originally suspended Gragson, NASCAR came out in full support and also made its own decision based on the Member Conduct section of the NASCAR Rule Book.

“NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson,” NASCAR said. “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 released a statement of his own following the original decision by his team. In that statement, Gragson expressed disappointment in himself, insisted that he understood the severity of the situation, and loves and appreciates “everyone.”

“I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media,” Gragson said in a statement. “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.”

Time will tell when Noah Gragson gets another chance, but it’s evident he has plenty of work to do until some team bets on him once again.