Charlie Kirk was honored by NASCAR at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday night, but the late conservative commentator had been critical of the sport in the past

Bubba Wallace was previously blasted by Charlie Kirk (Image: Getty)

The death of Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves throughout political and sports circles nationwide. However, as NASCAR paid tribute to the late conservative commentator, who had influenced Danica Patrick, at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday evening, previous remarks from Kirk targeting one of the sport’s most prominent drivers have resurfaced online, sparking an uncomfortable controversy.

On June 25, 2020, Kirk took aim at Bubba Wallace following NASCAR’s noose investigation at Talladega Superspeedway, echoing President Donald Trump’s stance. “Bubba Wallace is a self-righteous fraud. He peddled a lie and now refuses to tell the truth. The media is still covering for him. He and anyone who covered for or cowered to him should resign from public life,” Kirk, whose wife had a heartbreaking explanation for their father’s death to their young daughter, posted on social media.

The post was referencing NASCAR’s probe into a rope fashioned into a noose found in Wallace’s garage bay. The FBI determined Wallace wasn’t targeted in a hate crime, concluding the rope had been present since October 2019. Meanwhile, MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd stands firm after ‘misconstrued’ Kirk comments led to termination.

He added: “As you can see from the photo, the noose was real, as was our concern for Bubba. With similar emotion, others across our industry and media stood up to defend the NASCAR family. Our NASCAR family. Because they are part of the NASCAR family, we are proud to see many stand up for what’s right.”

Charlie Kirk had choice words for Bubba Wallace before his death(Image: Getty)

In the days that followed, NASCAR conducted inspections of 1,684 garage stalls across 29 tracks. They found only 11 ropes tied in a knot, and just one was shaped into a noose: the rope found in Wallace’s stall, reports the Express US.

Wallace, who had no part in placing the rope, expressed his appreciation for NASCAR and the FBI taking the situation seriously. Despite this, Kirk never retracted his criticism of Wallace, and his tweet became a focal point in the online culture war that surrounded NASCAR during that tumultuous summer.

Following Kirk’s death, his post is being revisited and analyzed once more, juxtaposed with tributes from the very league he criticized. He was fatally shot on Sept.

10, 2025, while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

During a Q&A session, Kirk was hit in the neck by a bullet and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Before the start of Thursday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series UNOH 250 Presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol, a moment of silence was held in honor of Kirk.

Fans, drivers, and crew members bowed their heads as the stadium paused not only for Kirk, but also for 9/11 victims and late racing figures connected to the community. Layne Riggs managed to recover from a first-lap spin to win the race, but the emotion from the pre-race ceremony lingered.

Kirk’s memory was also honored at Yankee Stadium, where the New York Yankees paid tribute with a moment of silence and flags lowered to half-staff before their game against the Detroit Tigers. Additionally, during Thursday Night Football at Lambeau Field, both the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders took time to honor 9/11 victims, including Kirk.