NASCAR driver Kyle Larson uses n-word during virtual race

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NASCAR star Kyle Larson dropped the n-word during a live stream virtual car race Sunday night and has been suspended indefinitely from the league.

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Larson let the offensive word slip while competing in an eNASCAR iRacing Pro event. Larson lost communication with his spotter, and while checking the mic, he uttered, “You can’t hear me?” and followed it up with n*gger, according to The Associated Press. 

NASCAR initially responded saying it was “gathering more information” but today announced the driver was suspended indefinitely for the slur.

“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. 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,” NASCAR tweeted its statement.

Larson was considered among the top soon to be free agents when NASCAR suspended its races during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Instead, NASCAR created an iRacing league that has captivated viewers and has drawn record crowds for esports television.

One fun feature of the iRacing platform is that drivers can trash talk each other during the races. Fans can listen in on the banter via the gaming app Twitch.

On Sunday, after using the slur, dumbstruck drivers immediately stopped to let Larson know others could hear him.

On Monday, a contrite Larson took to Twitter to apologize for the slur.

“I just want to say I’m sorry you know last night I made a mistake and said the word that should never, ever be said and there’s no excuse for that,” Larson said. “I wasn’t raised that way. You know, 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 you know I own up to that. But I just wanted to let you all know how sorry I am.”

Larson is half-Japanese and the only driver with Japanese lineage to win a major title in NASCAR. His parents spent time in a California internment camp, according to The Associated Press. Larson was able to go from short track racing to NASCAR through its “Drive for Diversity” program.

In his 7th season in NASCAR, Larson was also in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, which also suspended him without pay.

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In a statement to ESPN, the organization said it was “extremely disappointed” in Larson’s offensive comment.

“We are extremely disappointed by what Kyle said last night during an iRacing Event. 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,” Chip Ganassi Racing said in the statement.