NASCAR driver Kyle Larson has been suspended indefinitely after using a racial slur during a livestreamed virtual race.
The incident happened Sunday evening during an event with iRacing, which has been embraced by NASCAR since the coronavirus pandemic closed down most sporting events. During Sunday’s race, Larson appeared to have connection issues.
“You can’t hear me?” he asked before using the N-word.
The 27-year-old NASCAR driver issued an apology on social media after the slur.
“Last night, I made a mistake and said the word that should never, ever be said,” Larson said. “There is no excuse for that. I wasn’t raised that way. It’s just an awful thing to say. And 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 unrepairable, and I own up to that. But I just want to let you all know how sorry I am, and I hope everyone is staying safe during these crazy times,” he added.
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) April 13, 2020
In addition to NASCAR, Larson was also suspended indefinitely by iRacing, which offered a rebuke of the driver’s “highly offensive language” and said it does “not tolerate his behavior.”
NASCAR said in a statement that it has “made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday’s iRacing event.” The organization also said that Larson will have to take a sensitivity training course before his suspension will be reviewed.
