NASCAR’s response to the cancellation of all of its scheduled races is to hold an eSports tournament using the iRacing simulator with all contestants being professional NASCAR drivers. Though there were some reservations at first due to the general public opinion of eSports, it seems that most drivers have taken a liking to it and NASCAR fans are equally as entertained.
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The odd thing about this particular instance is that Larson didn’t use the word to single out any one specific driver, instead saying it simply because he thought the others couldn’t hear him. Unfortunately for Larson, he picked one of the few words that isn’t socially acceptable to say under any circumstance.
Click here to see the clip, but be warned that it contains offensive language.
For the most part, the race was carrying on as normal, but seemingly out of nowhere, Larson can be heard saying “you can’t hear me?” After a brief pause and receiving no response from any of his fellow drivers, he then says the N-word. It is at this point that the other drivers respond in a both shocked and uncomfortable manner. Some simply offer a nervous laugh, while others, like Anthony Alfredo, feel compelled to inform Larson of his mistake, saying “Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud.”
This isn’t the first incident to arise during this iRacing series, as days earlier professional NASCAR racer Bubba Wallace rage quit during a live streamed race. This stunt cost him his sponsorship, but that’s nothing compared to what Larson has lost as a result of his decidedly poor word choice. Just last Monday, NASCAR suspended Larson indefinitely, and iRacing followed suit, doling out the same punishment later that day. The following day, Chip Ganassi Racing fired Larson, meaning his chances of making money racing again are pretty much gone.
To make matters worse, Larson was a graduate of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, and owes his inclusion in the program to his Japanese descent. For him to use this racial slur during the live stream spits in the face of everything that the Drive for Diversity program stand for, and is a keen example of the worst kind of irony.
iRacing is available now exclusively for PC
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Source: BuzzFeed News