Sonoma Raceway Reports Finding Noose Same Weekend One Was Left in Bubba Wallace's NASCAR Stall

The California sporting facility said it "takes this incident very seriously and is dedicated to operating a facility that is welcoming to everyone"

Sonoma Raceway. Photo: Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty

A noose was found hanging from a tree near the Sonoma Raceway, the same weekend a similar racist incident happened at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama.

On Saturday morning, an employee at the popular California sporting facility discovered a noose hanging from a tree on the property. Sonoma Raceway General Manager Steve Page told KNTV that the staff member who stumbled upon the noose — a racially charged symbol linked to lynchings — was "very upset."

"Piece of twine, probably there for a while, but somebody had fashioned it into a shape you can reasonably interpret to be a noose," said Page. "[The employee] was understandably very upset about it. To have something like that show up on our property is disgusting."

In a statement to PEOPLE, a Sonoma Raceway spokesperson said all staff, on-site business tenants, and local law enforcement were contacted and "asked to share any information they may have."

"Sonoma Raceway takes this incident very seriously and is dedicated to operating a facility that is welcoming to everyone," read the statement.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is investigating the situation as a potential hate crime. A spokesperson for the department told KNTV: "We take it seriously. That's why we're out there with the violent crimes unit; put every effort into making an ID on this."

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Bubba Wallace takes a selfie with other drivers that pushed his car to the front in the pits of the Talladega Superspeedway prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series auto race on Monday. John Bazemore/AP/Shutterstock

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The situation at Sonoma Raceway comes as an investigation into a noose that was left in the NASCAR garage stall of Bubba Wallace, the league's only full-time Black driver. The discovery happened at the Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

"We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act," said NASCAR in a statement. "We have launched an immediate investigation, and will do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport."

Wallace issued a statement about the "despicable act of racism and hatred," writing that the incident "leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism."

Wallace concluded his message by stating that "this will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in."

RELATED VIDEO: LeBron James Supports Bubba Wallace After Noose Is Found in NASCAR Driver's Stall: 'You Don’t Stand Alone'

Wallace made headlines earlier this month when he competed in a race car decked out in Black Lives Matter logos. The driver also commended NASCAR for banning Confederate flags from events.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey spoke out about the "display of hatred" on Monday, saying she's "shocked and appalled."

"Racism and threats of this nature will not be condoned nor tolerated, and I commit to assisting in any way possible to ensure that the person responsible for this is caught and punished," said Ivey.

To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:

• Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
• ColorofChange.org works to make the government more responsive to racial disparities.
• National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help Black youth succeed in college and beyond.