CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson has issued a public apology after using a racial slur during an iRacing event on Sunday evening.
Larson has already been suspended by Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR because of the incident, which happened during Sunday’s Monza Madness stream that featured more than 60 competitors.
NASCAR is requiring Larson to participate in sensitivity training as part of his suspension. Larson will also not receive a paycheck from Chip Ganassi Racing during his suspension from the race team. He was also suspended from the iRacing service later Monday afternoon.
“I want to say I’m sorry,” Larson said. “Last night I made a mistake and said the word that should never, ever be said. 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 unrepairable, and I own up to that. I want to let you all know how sorry I am. Finally, I just want to say that I hope everyone is staying safe during these crazy times. Thank you.”
The last time a NASCAR competitor was caught using a racial slur was in 2013. NASCAR suspended Xfinity Series driver Jeremy Clements after he used a racial slur during an interview. He missed two races and had to complete diversity training before being reinstated.
Larson, who made a name for himself racing sprint cars and midgets on dirt before coming to NASCAR, has six NASCAR Cup Series victories on his résumé. He is also the defending winner of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla.