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High school coach resigns after racist tweets to Darrell Wallace Jr.

NASCAR XFINITY Series OneMain Financial 200 - Qualifying

DOVER, DE - JUNE 03: Darrell Wallace Jr., driver of the #6 Disney Pixar Cars 3 Ford, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series OneMain Financial 200 at Dover International Speedway on June 3, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

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The Cambridge (Wisconsin) School District announced Friday that boys golf coach Brett Nottestad resigned after racially driven tweets directed at Darrell Wallace Jr., the only black driver in NASCAR’s top national series.
“The Cambridge School District was made aware of several offensive comments made on social media by Cambridge High School boys’ golf coach, Brent Nottestad,’' the school district said in a statement Friday. “After a meeting between Mr. Nottestad and school district officialsthis morning, Mr. Nottestad resigned his position with the district, effective immediately.’'

The Cambridge News & The Independent reported that Nottestad had been the golf coach since 2014 and declined comment.

Wallace, who will drive the No. 43 Cup car for Richard Petty Motorsports next season, tweeted:

The Cambridge News & The Independent reported that Nottestad responded on Twitter: “Will this fella just go away. Can’t drive himself out of an open wet paper bag. Sad to see the sport let this clown with zero ability.’'

Nottestad also tweeted, according to the newspaper: “Hey @BubbaWallace. Please quit with, ‘I’m black’ bs. You’re terrible. There are 1423 more credible drivers to get that ride than you.”

The Anti-Defamation League states that 14/23 is a symbol associated with the Southern Brotherhood, the largest white supremacist prison gang in Alabama. The 14 is a reference to the white supremacist “14 Words” slogan (“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”) and the 23 refers to the “23 precepts” - a list of rules that Southern Brotherhood members must follow.

Wallace responded to Nottestad’s tweet:

The Cambridge News & The Independent reported that Nottestad responded on Twitter, referring to Wallace’s grandmother who died last year: “Granny Jan die in a police shooting?”

The Cambridge News & The Independent reported that Nottestad tweeted one final time, referencing a photo of Wallace and a white NASCAR fan: “Almost looks like going to the zoo.’'

Nottestad told ESPN via direct message that he was disgusted with himself for writing the tweets.

“I wish I could go back in time but I can’t,” Nottestad wrote. “I honestly don’t know what I was thinking. Perhaps trying to be a tough guy behind a computer screen? I don’t know.”

Nottestad told ESPN that he planned to reach out to Wallace.

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