Let's say it wasn't actually a noose. What difference does it make?
The Crew Member that found it believed it was a noose, NASCAR believed it was a noose, the FBI investigating it believed it was a noose, and even in their findings...they still say it was a fucking noose. Just not a noose meant as a specific threat against Bubba Wallace.
It wasn't a hate-crime against Bubba Wallace...and that's a good thing. Less hate crimes is a good thing. But there was ever reason to believe that the piece of knotted rope that was tied to look like a noose....might actually be a noose. So NASCAR folowed procedure. They called the FBI. And even though it turned out to not be a hate crime...NASCAR still says they would do everything the same again.