NASCAR suspends Elk Grove native Kyle Larson for using racial slur in iRacing event
NASCAR and Chip Ganassi Racing suspended Elk Grove native Kyle Larson on Monday after he used a racial slur during a live stream of an iRacing event Sunday night.
“We are extremely disappointed by what Kyle said last night during an iRacing Event,” Ganassi Racing said in a statement. “The words that he chose to use are offensive and unacceptable. As of this moment we are suspending Kyle without pay while we work through this situation with all appropriate parties.”
Larson, 27, was competing in the virtual race when he used the N-word after apparently losing communication with his spotter on his headset. NASCAR rules prohibit public statements and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age or handicapping condition.
“NASCAR has made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday’s iRacing event,” a NASCAR statement read. “Our Member Conduct Guidelines are clear in this regard, and we will enforce these guidelines to maintain an inclusive environment for our entire industry and fan base.”
Larson issued a public apology Monday in a video he posted on Twitter.
“Hey I just want to say I’m sorry,” Larson said. “Last night I made a mistake and said the word that should never, ever be said, and there’s no excuse for that. I wasn’t raised that way. It’s just an awful thing to say. I feel very sorry for my family, my friends, my partners, the NASCAR community and especially the African American community. I understand the damage is probably un-reparable and I own up to that, but I just want to let you all know how sorry I am and I hope everybody is staying safe during these crazy times.”
Larson’s mother is a Japanese American whose parents were kept in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Larson, the only driver of Japanese descent to win a major NASCAR race, rose from short-track racing to NASCAR through its “Drive for Diversity” program.
Larson is in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing and his seventh full season at NASCAR’s top Cup level. His sponsors include McDonald’s, Credit One Bank and Chevrolet.
Larson won the Chili Bowl, a showcase for sprint-car drivers, in January and is regarded as one of the nation’s best sprint car racers. He has six career Cup wins and last season finished sixth in the standings, the best finish of his career.
NASCAR created the iRacing series after suspending its season due to the coronavirus crisis. The virtual racing series has reportedly set records for esports television viewership. The Associated Press reported that other drivers immediately reacted to Larson’s use of the racial slur, with one quickly alerting him, “Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 9:05 AM.
