Tony Stewart says NASCAR needs to ‘get off their ass’
By Asher Fair
Tony Stewart says that NASCAR needs to “get off their ass” and reinstate Kyle Larson following his indefinite suspension from April.
Kyle Larson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and subsequently fired by Chip Ganassi Racing after losing multiple sponsors due to his use of a racial slur during a virtual race on iRacing back on Easter Sunday.
Larson, who was replaced by 2003 champion Matt Kenseth behind the wheel of the #42 Chevrolet, completed sensitivity training shortly after his firing.
But he has not been reinstated by NASCAR and doesn’t have another ride lined up for the rest of this year or for next year.
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He has been competing in quite a bit of dirt track racing over the last few months, but he has stated that he does want to come back to stock car racing.
Tony Stewart, a three-time Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, believes that the ball is in NASCAR’s court and that they need to “get off their ass” and give Larson another opportunity to compete. Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to CBS Sports.
"“NASCAR has gotta get off their ass and do the right thing and give this kid an opportunity to get back in a car. I think he’s paid his penalty and he’s served the penalty long enough where you know we’ve had similar instances in the sport that have happened and the penalties didn’t last as near as long as this has lasted with Kyle.“It’s changed Kyle’s world, it turned everything upside down and not only did it affect him. It affected his family and a lot of other people that didn’t deserve to be affected. So I think it’s been long enough. I think it’s time for NASCAR to get off their ass and to do the right thing and allow him to come back to the series now.”"
Larson has reportedly not yet sought reinstatement, which he must do in order to be reinstated.
However, there is nothing currently stopping him from talking to teams about competing, so he could very well be holding out until a ride opens up for him next year.
Should Larson request reinstatement and should NASCAR approve that request, would it be Stewart’s team to give him the second chance many feel he deserves?
Stewart-Haas Racing are a team to which Larson has been linked for a 2021 seat on numerous occasions, even before the racial slur incident, given Stewart’s fondness of his abilities and the fact that they share dirt track racing roots. Additionally, they have two seats without confirmed drivers at their four-car operation for next year.
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Stewart even tried to sign Larson for the 2017 season after announcing that the 2016 season would be his last, but he was unable to do so given Larson’s contract with Chip Ganassi Racing at the time.