Chip Ganassi Racing released a statement on Tuesday, explaining that it has ended its relationship with NASCAR driver Kyle Larson after he used a racial slur during a virtual race. See the statement below.
"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."
This comes after the team revealed that it would be suspending Larson indefinitely for his actions during the livestreame.
Per Fox News, the slur occurred after NASCAR driver Landon Cassill organized an unofficial iRacing event. Several professional drivers including Larson, signed to take part in the race. During the event, Larson, thinking that his audio had been cut-off, used the n-word.
NASCAR XFinity Series driver Anthony Alfredo responded, saying: "Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud," while other competitors also acknowledged the comment.
NASCAR followed Chip Ganassi's lead by issuing Larson an indefinite suspension.
"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," NASCAR said in a press release on Monday. "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 tweeted out a video on Monday, apologizing for his actions, calling his language a "mistake."
"I just want to say I'm sorry," the driver said. "Last night I made a mistake and said the word that never, ever should be said, and there's no excuse for that. I wasn't raised that way, you know, 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. You know, I understand the damage is probably unrepairable and I own up to that."
Along with NASCAR, iRacing has also suspended Larson from its platforms, while several companies— including McDonald’s, Credit One Bank, Clover, and Chevrolet—have ended their sponsorships with the driver.
Meanwhile, Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman criticized Larson on Twitter, and challenged him to a charity UFC fight.
