NASCAR driver Kyle Larson has been 'suspended without pay' after he said the N-word during a live stream on Sunday night.
Larson had been participating in the Monza Madness iRacing event when video footage from someone else's Twitch stream captured him saying: "You can't hear me? Hey n*****."
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Xfinity driver Anthony Alfredo quickly chipped in saying: "Kyle, you're talking to everyone, bud."
Aron MacEachern also said: "Yep, we heard."
IndyCar's Conor Daly added: "Yikes."
Chip Ganassi Racing officials have since confirmed that Larson has been suspended without pay following his use of 'unacceptable' language.
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"We are extremely disappointed by what Kyle said last night during an iRacing Event," a statement said.
"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."
iRacing said in a statement that Larson would also be suspended indefinitely from the iRacing service.
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Larson has since issued an apology for the incident, releasing a video statement on social media:
In the video, he told fans: "Hey, I just want to say I'm sorry. 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. But I just want to let you all know how sorry I am, and I hope everybody is staying safe during these crazy times. Thank you."
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NASCAR has said it is 'currently gathering more information' regarding what happened, saying in a statement: "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's Code of Conduct (Section 12.8.a) calls for 'correct and proper conduct', stating: "NASCAR membership is a privilege. With that privilege comes certain benefits, responsibilities and obligations. Correct and proper conduct, both on and off the race track, is part of a Member's responsibilities.
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"A Member's actions can reflect upon the sport as a whole and on other NASCAR Members. Ideally, NASCAR Members are role models for the many fans who follow this sport, regardless of the type of license a Member may hold, or the specific Series in which a Member may participate.
"Therefore, NASCAR views a Member's conduct, both on and off the race track, which might constitute a behavioral Rules violation under this Rule Book with great importance."
As well as being suspended without pay, NASCAR has said Larson will have to attend sensitivity training.
Featured Image Credit: PA