NASCAR: Kyle Larson issues apology for racial slur, ‘no excuse’
By Asher Fair
NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson has issued an apology for using a racial slur during an iRacing event on Easter Sunday.
Chip Ganassi Racing NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson said the N-word during an iRacing event at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Sunday evening, and the whole world heard him.
Larson appeared to lose communication with his spotter over his headset and stated, “Hey N*****”, in an attempt to try to draw his attention.
The other drivers were quick to point out that Larson’s racial slur was not private.
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“Kyle, you’re talking to everyone bud,” one said.
“Yikes,” said another.
In fact, this race was being streamed live on Twitch, so it wasn’t just the other 61 drivers who heard him, either. The whole world heard him, and that sent Twitter ablaze last night.
Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR released separate statements about the matter, with the former suspending Larson without pay and the latter suspending him indefinitely while also mandating that sensitivity training be completed before he is reinstated.
The same punishment was issued to Xfinity Series driver Jeremy Clements back in 2013. He ended up missing two races, although it remains to be seen how Kyle Larson’s suspension will play out since the 2020 season itself has been indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There has not been a race since Phoenix Raceway hosted the fourth race of the season back on Sunday, March 8.
Now Larson himself has spoken about the matter, and he has apologized, stating that there is “no excuse” for ever using that word, no matter the circumstance.
Watch.
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) April 13, 2020
Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
Through the first four races on the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Kyle Larson sits in a seventh place tie in the championship standings with a best finish of fourth at Phoenix Raceway and two other top 10 finishes.