NASCAR, Legacy Motor Club suspend Noah Gragson over social media actions
Legacy Motor Club suspended Noah Gragson “effective immediately” and named Josh Berry to drive its No. 42 Chevrolet Sunday.
“We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effectively immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team. Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan,” an official statement from Legacy Motor Club read.
The team reportedly suspended Gragson over this social media interaction. Gragson responded to the team’s statement, saying:
“I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media. 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.”
NASCAR backed up Legacy Motor Club’s decision and suspended Gragson. Here is the sanctioning body’s statement:
“NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. 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.”
In the NASCAR rulebook, “member actions that could result in a fine and/or indefinite suspension, or membership revocation” include:
- Statement and/or communication made public (including social media platforms) that demeans, criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition
In November 2020, NASCAR suspended owner-driver Josh Reaume over what some reports say was an anti-Semitic social media post. Then, in April 2021, NASCAR reinstated him after he went through sensitivity training.
Josh Berry is on the pole for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday at Michigan. Next season, he will drive the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Ford, replacing Kevin Harvick.
Already this season, he has a top-5 finish and two top-10s plus 10 laps led filling in for Chase Elliott five times this year. He also has a top-10 and three laps led filling in for Alex Bowman three times.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com
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