The FBI a noose found in the team garage of NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace at the Talladega Superspeedway has been there since last year and he, therefore, is not a victim of a hate crime. NASCAR, mentioning the FBI report, described the item as a "garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose." "The FBI learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week," the agency said in a statement Tuesday. "The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019. Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week." Wallace had not publicly responded to the FBI's finding as of early Tuesday night. NASCAR said he never saw the noose. NASCAR issued a statement regarding the FBI's decision saying, "We appreciate the FBI's quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba." "We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing," NASCAR said. Richard Petty Motorsports, which fields the No. 43 car driven by Wallace, issued a statement saying one of its employees "discovered a rope tied in the fashion of a noose in the garage stall" assigned to Wallace. The Petty employees followed protocol and notified NASCAR, said the statement. "No member of Richard Petty Motorsports, nor Wallace had any involvement with the presence of the rope," the statement said. #BubbaWallace #CNN #News