Tag: Kyle Larson

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace condemns Kyle Larson for using a racist slur, says he has to be better

“It’s NOT just a word,” Bubba Wallace wrote about Kyle Larson using the N-word.

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. released a lengthy statement Thursday afternoon about Kyle Larson using a racial slur Sunday during an iRacing event that was being broadcast on Twitch and was heard by anyone on the livestream.

The 26-year-old driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet is the only African-American driver in the Cup Series, and he acknowledged he didn’t want to be involved in the controversy surrounding Larson saying the N-word.

But he wrote that there “is a part of my background and culture that feels attacked and hurt, and the other part feels confused and angry.” And he opened his statement by briefly explaining why the N-word is racist.

Wallace wrote:

It’s NOT just a word. There is a ton of negative meaning behind the word. Doesn’t matter if a person uses it in an offensive way or not. The word brings many terrible memories for people and families and brings them back to a time that WE as a community and human race have tried our hardest to get away from.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the NASCAR season, like the rest of the sports world, has been postponed, so the racing world moved online.

During a race Sunday, Larson appeared to have some technical issues communicating over his radio and said: “You can’t hear me? Hey, [expletive].”

In his statement, Wallace later specifically addressed Larson using the racist slur and explained the communication they’ve had since. He continued:

What Larson said was wrong, whether in private or public. There is no grey area. I saw the incident the night it happened and within 5 minutes Kyle texted me. He called me the next morning as well. Finally I called him back with a FaceTime to talk “face to face,” and we had a good conversation, his apology was sincere. His emotions and pride were shattered. We discussed why he chose to use that language and I shared my thoughts.. [sic] I told him, it was too easy for him to use the word and that he has to do better and get it out of his vocabulary. There is no place for that work in this world. I am not mad at him, and I believe that he, along with most people deserve second chances, and deserve space to improve. I do wish him and his family nothing but the best. And I am more than willing to work with him to address diversity and inclusion in our sport.

In the early fallout this week, Larson was suspended Monday by both NASCAR and Chip Ganassi Racing, which then fired him Tuesday after multiple major sponsors — like McDonald’s and Credit One Bank — pulled their support from the driver specifically. The team said, in part:

“As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization. As we continued to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take.”

NASCAR is also requiring that Larson — who is of Japanese descent and an alumnus of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program — participate in its sensitivity training.

Going into the 2020 season — which only made it through four races before being postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak — Larson was in the final year of his contract with Ganassi. One of the more talented young drivers, he was expected to the the most sought-after upcoming free agent who would likely have his choice of teams.

His future now is even more uncertain, and any return to NASCAR following his indefinite suspension and sensitivity training could largely depend on his ability to secure new sponsors.

Our two cents about all this: Wallace shouldn’t be one of the only drivers speaking out about Larson using a racial slur, and doing so shouldn’t be his responsibility by default as the only African-American driver in the Cup Series. It’s not fair to him, and he shouldn’t be dragged into Larson’s mess simply because NASCAR is a white male dominated sport with a diversity problem.

Where are other prominent figures in NASCAR? On his podcast this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. condemned Larson for having the slur in his vocabulary, and Joey Logano touched on it when asked in an interview with NBC Sports. But for whatever reason, most high-profile names in the sport have remained silent, and that’s not acceptable either.

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Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman says NASCAR driver Kyle Larson ‘needs his [expletive] beat’

Kyle Larson was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing after saying a racist slur during a virtual race.

Warning: A video and tweets in this post contain a racist slur.

A lot of people are furious (and experiencing a wide variety of emotions) after NASCAR driver Kyle Larson used the N-word on Sunday during a virtual iRacing event, which was also being broadcast on Twitch.

People watching the livestream heard him use the racist slur, and clips of the moment quickly spread around the internet.

In the days since, Larson has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and must participate in its sensitivity training. He was also fired by Chip Ganassi Racing after major sponsors, including McDonald’s and Credit One Bank, ended their relationships with Larson specifically.

And New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman wants to dish out his own punishment to the 27-year-old NASCAR driver, who went from being one of the most valuable upcoming free agents to unemployed in the early fallout.

Stroman tweeted Tuesday about how casually Larson said the N-word while trying to communicate with someone while racing and said, “He needs his ass beat.” So Stroman challenged Larson to a UFC-type event for charity when their careers are over.

Larson — who is of Japanese descent and an alumnus of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program — hasn’t responded to Stroman’s challenge on social media.

As word of him using a racist slur spread, Chip Ganassi Racing first suspended Larson without pay before being forced to fire him after his sponsors bailed. A free agent earlier than usual, Larson’s career and future are more uncertain now, even with the COVID-19 outbreak putting the entire sports world on hold.

Challenging Larson to a UFC-style event wasn’t the only thing Stroman had to say about the NASCAR driver’s behavior. He continued calling out Larson for using the racist slur, as did Adam Jones.

Warning: There is a racial slur in these tweets.

https://twitter.com/STR0/status/1250172599172202498?s=20

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NASCAR star Joey Logano shares his thoughts on Kyle Larson’s firing

Kyle Larson was fired after using a racist slur during a virtual iRacing event.

Sunday night, Kyle Larson used a racist slur while competing in an iRacing event, and other race participants, as well as fans watching the livestream, heard him use the N-word.

Less than 48 hours later, Chip Ganassi Racing announced that it fired the 27-year-old NASCAR driver after several sponsors — including Chevrolet, McDonald’s and Credit One Bank — either suspended or terminated their relationship with Larson. He was previously suspended Monday by Ganassi without pay and indefinitely by NASCAR, after which he tweeted a video apologizing for using the slur.

While the vast majority of NASCAR’s biggest drivers have not commented publicly on the subject, Joey Logano was asked about it while doing an interview with NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico.

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Sharing his thoughts on Larson’s behavior and the early fallout, Logano said:

“Obviously, it’s a tough situation for the whole sport, right? It’s something that obviously none of us want to hear. And the facts are: Hey, when we sign up for this, we know that you’re supporting and representing Fortune 500 companies. You look at Shell, Pennzoil, Coca-Cola, Ford — these are all huge companies that you are representing.

“Even more importantly, you’re representing your own brand, whether it’s the Joey Logano brand or whatever it is. You always have to be on. Someone always has that camera phone, someone always has the ability to show what you’re doing. And it’s a good reminder for all of us. Whether you’re a race car driver or not, whether you’re working at the bank or the grocery store, pumping gas, whatever you may be doing — your brand is always the most important, and everyone sees that all the time. And you always have to think of: What is my brand? And what do I want it to be? How do I want to be represented? And that’s the things that we have to think about all the time.

“Moments like this are good reminders. I hate to see that happen to Kyle. I feel for him and his family. Obviously, a huge adjustment from what it was two days ago. But things like that are not accepted in our society, and they shouldn’t be.”

Larson was in the final year of his contract with Ganassi and was presumably the most highly sought-after upcoming free agent who would have likely had his choice of organizations to join. His future in NASCAR and the world of motor sports is now significantly more uncertain.

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Chip Ganassi Racing officially fired Kyle Larson for using a racist slur

The 27-year-old NASCAR driver was caught using a racist slur during a virtual racing event.

Kyle Larson is officially a free agent, but it happened a bit sooner than he expected. His team, Chip Ganassi Racing, announced Tuesday morning that it fired the 27-year-old NASCAR driver, who was caught saying the N-word during a virtual iRacing event Sunday.

With the NASCAR season postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, the motor sports world significantly shifted toward online racing. Larson was competing in a simulation racing event when he used the racial slur over the radio, which was broadcast on Twitch and heard by anyone on the livestream. It then quickly spread around the internet.

On Monday, Ganassi suspended Larson without pay, and NASCAR suspended him indefinitely with the requirement that he participate in sensitivity training. And by that afternoon, Larson — once largely considered the most highly coveted upcoming free agent — was losing big-time sponsors, which all but guaranteed he’d be out of a job if he couldn’t replace them.

In a statement released Tuesday, CGR said:

“After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson. As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization. As we continued to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take.”

During the iRacing event Sunday, Larson appeared to have technical difficulties communicating and said: “You can’t hear me? Hey, [expletive].”

Several drivers in the stream confirmed they heard what Larson said, with second-tier XFINITY Series driver Anthony Alfredo noting: “Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud.”

Larson was in the final year of his contract with Ganassi, and going into the 2020 season, it seemed like he’d have several appealing options among NASCAR’s best teams from which to choose. Although he almost certainly won’t have as many choices, Larson could still find sponsors and a good team willing to overlook his behavior.

But Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Larson using a racist slur began circulating around the internet, McDonald’s and Credit One Bank both announced they ended their sponsorships of Larson but implied they’d be willing to work with Ganassi with another driver.

Chevrolet also announced it indefinitely suspended its relationship with Larson.

In a video tweeted Monday, Larson apologized for his racist language — although he, along with NASCAR, CGR and iRacing, declined to label it as such. Larson said:

“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, 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 wanted to let you all know how sorry I am.”

With the NASCAR season on hold, it’s unclear for how long the governing body will keep Larson suspended and how many races he could miss.

Larson was in what was his seventh full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, has six career wins and was the series’ 2014 Rookie of the Year.

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NASCAR needs to be able to say Kyle Larson’s slur was racist, not ‘insensitive’

The first step to fighting racism is to acknowledge it exists. NASCAR can’t even get that right.

Warning: The video in this post contains a racial slur.

All professional sports have been suspended for over a month now, and yet, NASCAR driver Kyle Larson still found a way to be shockingly, publicly racist.

During an iRacing event on Sunday night, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver appeared to lose headset communication with his spotter. Apparently trying to check his microphone, Larson said, “You can’t hear me? Hey, [N-word.]”

The racial slur was broadcast live on the feed and, after an uncomfortable pause and some laughter, other drivers quickly let Larson know he could be heard by everyone.

“Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud,” a driver can be heard saying.

The casual utterance of such a despicable slur is already cause for alarm, yet the statements and apologies from Chip Ganassi Racing, NASCAR and Larson have fallen far short of what’s needed to adequately address the incident.

There’s no talking around it: The word Larson used was racist. Yet all parties involved have gone out of their way to obliquely reference the word. None of them have called it what it was: an act of racism.

The first step to combating racism is to admit that it exists, and Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR couldn’t even get close to it.

In its initial statement addressing Larson’s language, Chip Ganassi Racing said, “The words that he chose to use are offensive and unacceptable.” Larson’s team suspended him without pay and for an indefinite amount of time, yet avoided calling the driver racist, which is what someone is when they so casually drop the N-word.

On Monday morning, NASCAR initially issued an even weaker, one-sentence statement.

“NASCAR is aware of insensitive language used by a driver during an iRacing event on Sunday, and is currently gathering more information.”

Again, for clarity, the word Larson used when he thought no one could hear him is racist, not “insensitive.” It’s a word that’s been used to oppress and dehumanize an entire population for centuries. It has no place coming out of Larson’s mouth.

An hour later, NASCAR followed up with empty comments about its commitment to diversity and inclusion and found creative new ways to refer to the N-word.

“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.”

In his own video apology, Larson admitted the word was offensive, yet also stopped short of admitting his racist act.

In our current culture, it seems as if calling someone or something racist is more offensive than being racist. What Larson said was racism, pure and simple. There’s no arguing that he didn’t understand what the word meant, or that he didn’t mean to use it, or that he simply misspoke.  It needs to be openly addressed as such. If it isn’t, how can Larson or NASCAR even start to fully understand why it was wrong to begin with?

As part of his punishment, Larson has been mandated to take sensitivity training, whatever that means. Sensitivity isn’t what’s required when dealing with dropping the N-word like it’s no big deal. Historical relevance and a keen understanding of structural racism would serve Larson and the entire sport much better.

Still, that might be a bridge too far for a sport that has not banned confederate flags from being displayed at its races. If there’s no understanding of why that symbol is similarly racist, there’s little hope that they would view the n-word as such.

Using the N-word is an aggressive, repulsive act and Larson threw it around casually during a livestream. Confronted with its use, NASCAR could have taken a stand against racism. Instead, it couldn’t even dare to utter the word racism — which shows that everyone involved learned absolutely nothing.

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NASCAR’S Kyle Larson suspended indefinitely after using racial slur on iRacing stream

Kyle Larson has been suspended indefinitely by Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR after the driver used a racial slur during a streamed event on Sunday.

Kyle Larson has been suspended indefinitely by Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR after the driver used a racial slur during a streamed event on Sunday.

Kyle Larson isn’t being ‘canceled,’ he just has to deal with the consequences of using a racist slur

NASCAR and Kyle Larson’s team suspended him for using a racist slur.

Kyle Larson has no excuse. There is no valid justification for using a racist slur. And yet, Larson did.

The NASCAR driver said the N-word on the radio while competing Sunday in a virtual iRacing event, which was being broadcast on Twitch. And then that clip quickly made its way to Twitter and around the internet.

Seemingly unaware that his audio was being broadcast to other competitors and to anyone watching the livestream, Larson appeared to have some technical issues communicating when he said: “You can’t hear me? Hey, [expletive].” In iRacing, a driver’s name appears on the screen when they talk, confirming that it was Larson who used the slur.

That’s when NASCAR driver Anthony Alfredo, who competes in the second-tier XFINITY Series, said: “Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud.” Other drivers on the livestream reacted in disbelief and confirmed that they heard what Larson said.

It shouldn’t have to be explicitly explained, but apparently it still does. The slur Larson used is harmful and hateful and derogatory and demeaning and insensitive and racist. And however much this racist incident impacts Larson and his career is no one’s fault but his own.

The 27-year-old driver — who is of Japanese descent and an alumnus of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program — tweeted a video apology Monday afternoon, saying in part:

“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, 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 wanted to let you all know how sorry I am.”

Arguably the top sought-after free agent this year, Larson is currently in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, which announced Monday morning that it suspended the driver without pay while they “work through this situation with all appropriate parties.” The team also described Larson’s language as “offensive and unacceptable.”

Not long after that, NASCAR — without specifically describing racist language as racist — said in a statement that it “will not tolerate” such language and suspended the driver indefinitely. He must also attend sensitivity training as directed by NASCAR.

According to the rule book (via NBC Sports), NASCAR can fine, indefinitely suspend or terminate a member for making a public statement 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.”

Even if Larson somehow isn’t aware of the specifics in NASCAR’s rule book, he absolutely still should know better. He should know it’s unacceptable to be racist, act racist or say racist things, and that behaving in such a way will have negative repercussions.

This isn’t an example of the so-called “cancel culture” or people overreacting. This is a professional athlete and public figure facing accountability and being held responsible for saying a racist slur.

Whatever the complete consequences of Larson’s actions may be, there will surely be people who argue over a few things about this situation: His intent and that his life is being ruined over one mistake.

First, intent does not matter. Regardless of how Larson meant it or delivered it, it’s a vile and degrading word.

And if his sponsors, like McDonald’s or Credit One Bank, pull their support, or if he doesn’t land the best ride he could have for next season, his life isn’t being ruined. He’s just going to learn (if he didn’t know already) that there are consequences for actions and words. He’s not being thrown in prison or jail because of this, and the government isn’t going to repossess his assets.

But, as NASCAR’s code of conduct explains, racing at this top level is a “privilege,” and the governing body reserves the right to revoke that privilege if it’s deemed necessary. That’s it.

Additionally, this doesn’t seem like a mistake on Larson’s part. He said it so casually and with a lightness in his tone that implies this isn’t the first time he’s said it. People who never under any circumstances use such a heinous slur don’t accidentally let it slip from time to time, and the ease with which it came out of Larson’s mouth suggests he doesn’t fall into that category.

Surely his team, his sponsors, and governing body officials see that too. It’s his job to represent those entities in the best possible light, and uttering a slur is the exact opposite of that — along with being obscenely offensive to the masses.

Larson’s suspension by NASCAR and by Chip Ganassi Racing don’t mean much immediately, other than the missing paycheck. The NASCAR season, like the rest of the sports world, is on hold because of the coronavirus outbreak, racing has turned digital, with NASCAR and IndyCar holding exhibition iRacing events online with a wide variety of competitors. It’s where some of the biggest racing names in the world have been hanging out in lieu of competition, and it’s no surprise that Larson — who competes in a variety of racing disciplines beyond NASCAR — was among them.

But the possible future consequences for him could be abundant. Will he lose one sponsor? More than one? Will the powerhouse NASCAR teams who previously might have been interested in him pass? Will he have trouble securing a ride?

We don’t know at this point, and with so much uncertainty about when NASCAR could get back to racing, we may not know for a while. But before fans try to point fingers and blame everyone else for whatever the fallout ends up being, it’s important to remember that this is no one’s fault but Larson’s.

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NASCAR owner scolds Denny Hamlin for lighthearted video with Kyle Larson

NASCAR Twitter thought Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson’s grocery store video was funny. But Chip Ganassi didn’t.

Welcome to FTW’s NASCAR Feud of the Week, where we provide a detailed breakdown of the latest absurd, funny and sometimes legitimate controversies and issues within the racing world. This one is part joke, but also appears to be part serious.

NASCAR Twitter thought the video of Denny Hamlin running his shopping cart into Kyle Larson at the grocery store was pretty funny, as it mimicked the run-in the two friends had Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.

But Larson’s team owner, Chip Ganassi, disagreed.

Hamlin — who opened the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season with his second consecutive Daytona 500 win — tweeted the video of him and Larson at the grocery store Sunday night, hours after the Auto Club 400 ended at the two-mile southern California track. And he ran into Larson with his shopping cart, loosely recreating what happened during the race, the third of the season.

Early in the race, Larson, Hamlin and Kevin Harvick were running together going into Turn 1. As FOX Sports’ Jeff Gordon explained during the broadcast (and the video below), Harvick gave Hamlin a push, which got the No. 11 Toyota right on the bumper of Larson in the No. 42 Chevrolet.

But then Hamlin gave Larson a push that was just too much, and it turned Larson’s car, which then hit Auto Club Speedway’s outside wall.

Larson had to pit so his team could repair the damage to the right side of the car. Behind Alex Bowman, who won his second career Cup race, Larson finished the race 21st and a lap down, and Hamlin came in sixth.

Judging by Hamlin’s Twitter video later that night, Larson isn’t holding a grudge against his friend.

But Ganassi tweeted Tuesday morning that he disapproves of the video making a joke out of their run-in and said it was in bad taste.

Clearly not everyone in NASCAR thinks Hamlin and Larson’s video joking about the on-track incident is that funny.

It seems unlikely that Hamlin would purposefully wreck his buddy like that and so early in the race, no less. So maybe it’s OK to laugh about something that is probably truly an accident.

But a team owner looking at a wrecked car that costs around $300,000, understandably, might have a different perspective.

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