Kyle Larson admits to having learned important lessons after his suspension by NASCAR and that he will continue listening and learning.
Back in April, Larson was fired from his team Chip Ganassi Racing and suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for using a racial slur in an iRacing event.
Writing an essay on his website, Kyle Larson said that he “wanted to hide. I shut down my social media accounts. In the time of COVID-19, wearing a mask in public actually made me feel more comfortable. It wasn’t healthy at all. I needed to take back control.”
Speaking about the reflections that he made and the lessons learned, Larson wrote:
“The first lesson: The N-word is not mine to use. It cannot be part of my vocabulary. The history of the word is connected to slavery, injustice and trauma that is deep and has gone on for far too long. I truly didn’t say the word with the intention of degrading or demeaning another person, but my ignorance ended up insulting an entire community of people who, in the year 2020, still have to fight for justice and equality. When I look back at these last few months and see all the protests and unrest in our country, and the pain Black people are going through, it hurts to know that what I said contributed to that pain.”
He later continues:
“I want them to know that words do matter. Apologizing for your mistakes matters. Accountability matters. Forgiveness matters. Treating others with respect matters. I will not stop listening and learning, but for me now, it’s about action – doing the right things, being a part of the solution and writing a new chapter that my children will be proud to read.”
Read full Larson’s essay here.