“Him getting out of Legacy was the best move of his career”: NASCAR fans react as Noah Gragson gets officially reinstated

NASCAR made an official announcement on Tuesday regarding the reinstatement of driver Noah Gragson. Gragson had been serving a one-month suspension as a consequence of his actions, specifically for liking a racially insensitive meme on his Instagram account.

The 25-year-old driver, hailing from Las Vegas and recognized as a Cup Series Rookie of the Year contender, is now permitted to participate in all NASCAR activities once again.

This suspension, which began on August 5, was initiated after it came to light that Noah Gragson had liked an Instagram post that contained a meme making light of the tragic incident in May 2020 when George Floyd lost his life while in police custody.

This incident ultimately led to Gragson's resignation from his position as the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club.

Here are some reactions on X (formerly Twitter) shared by users about the incident:

As part of his path to reinstatement, Gragson underwent diversity and inclusion training, which was administered by NASCAR-affiliated RISE. It was upon their recommendation that NASCAR chose to lift his suspension.

While Gragson faced scrutiny off the track, his performance on it during his debut season in the Cup Series was notably challenging.

He managed only two finishes within the top 20 in 21 starts, with his best finish being 12th place at Atlanta in March. With an average finish of 28.2, he ranked as the second-worst among all full-time Cup Series drivers at the time of his suspension.

"I am now more focused and committed than ever to representing my future team in the best way possible"- Noah Gragson

The decision by Legacy Motor Club to part ways with Noah Gragson following his resignation from the No. 42 seat was somewhat unexpected.

Subsequently, the team selected John Hunter Nemechek for the 2024 season. Despite these changes, team co-owner Jimmie Johnson continued to maintain a connection with Gragson and acknowledged his commitment to personal growth and self-improvement.

According to Autosport.com, Noah Gragson said:

"I want to express my sincere gratitude to NASCAR for reinstating me. "Over the past several weeks, I have dedicated myself to personal growth and reflection, and I believe I have become a better person because of it. I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and the NASCAR industry."

He added:

I am now more focused and committed than ever to representing my future team in the best way possible. I'm eager to get back behind the wheel and compete at the highest level, giving it my all on and off the track. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey, and I can't wait to make the most of this second chance."

In his Cup career, Gragson has participated in 39 races, achieving his highest finish of fifth place at Daytona in 2022. Furthermore, he secured victory in 13 races during his time in the Xfinity Series, and he concluded the 2022 season as the runner-up in the championship standings.

Despite being without a Cup-level team at the moment, it is reported that Noah Gragson is set to make a racing comeback this weekend by participating in the Glass City 200 ASA STARS National Tour race, which will be held at Toledo Speedway.