NASCAR’s Kyle Larson: ‘I Know Deep Down I’m Not a Racist’

Kyle Larson
AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson, once fired for using the N-word, has taken to television to let America know that while he said something racist, “deep down” he is not a racist.

During a Friday appearance on CBS This Morning, Larson gave viewers an insight into what he’s gone through in the months since his firing from Chip Gnassi Racing for using the N-word during a live broadcast of a virtual racing game on NASCAR’s website.

“I know deep down I’m not a racist,” Larson told host James Brown.

Larson added, “I understand people who might not know me, they might not believe it or think I’m just checking the box. And I feel like I’ve definitely grown more in these last six months than I have in the 28 years I’ve been alive.”

According to Yahoo!:

Larson’s apologies come as he could return to NASCAR as soon as the 2021 season. Larson was also suspended indefinitely when he was fired from Chip Ganassi Racing, though he’s completed the required sensitivity trainings for reinstatement.

The 28-year-old has expressed interest in a NASCAR return and Hendrick Motorsports is looking for another driver for the 2021 season. Larson has been linked to that opening despite Chevrolet terminating its personal services deal with him in the wake of his slur usage.

Should Larson be readmitted to NASCAR, he would undoubtedly be a highly sought after driver. Before his firing, four races into the 2020 season, he was on pace to make the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.

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