NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson will not appear when the sport returns this Sunday at Darlington Raceway.
He was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and fired by Chip Ganassi Racing last month after he used the N-word in a Twitch live stream while competing in the iRacing simulator. He also lost his primary sponsors due to the incident.
Larson has been allowed to return to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, but he has not been given a date for when he'll be allowed back in the Cup Series circuit.
Here are all the details you need to know about Larson's use of a racial slur and the fallout from the incident:
When did Kyle Larson use a racial slur?
Larson used the N-word when talking to fellow drivers during an iRacing competition on a virtual track on April 12. His language, caught clearly on Twitch, quickly went viral that Sunday night.
Larson didn't know he was speaking to the entire group of drivers on the online simulation rather than just his spotter when he said, "You can't hear me? Hey, n—."
His fellow streamers responded with shock.
"Kyle, you're talking to everyone, bud," Anthony Alfredo said as the reality of the situation set in.
By the next morning, a series of consequences for his actions were handed out.
Why did NASCAR suspend Kyle Larson?
In a statement issued April 13, the day after Larson used the slur, NASCAR wrote that it would "not tolerate the type of language used."
Statement from NASCAR, which has indefinitely suspended Kyle Larson: pic.twitter.com/tRSDGnwV8R
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 13, 2020
Lost sponsorships
All of Larson's main sponsors ender their relationships with him, including McDonald's and Credit One Bank.
Apology
Larson issued an apology via Twitter video the morning after using the slur.
"I just want to say I'm sorry," Larson said. "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. You know, it's just an awful thing to say."
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) April 13, 2020
Reactions from other drivers
Bubba Wallace, one of the few non-white drivers in a sport with a negative reputation on racial issues, said Larson apologized to him after the incident.
While Wallace said he believed Larson eventually deserved a second chance, he was unequivocal in his condemnation of the slur.
"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," Wallace said. "There is no place for that word in this world."
When can Kyle Larson return from his suspension?
Larson is suspended indefinitely, leaving his possible return date up in the air. NASCAR has said it wouldn't comment further on his status until it's ready to bring him back.