Hailie Deegan, 19, issued an apology for using the R-word during a livestream of an iRacing event However, NASCAR confirmed on Monday evening that they would require her to complete the program before the start of the 2021 campaign in February.
The 19-y-o is set to kick off her first full-time season in the Camping World Truck Series driving a Ford F-150 for David Gilliland Racing.
Deegan:“Earlier tonight I used an insensitive word during an online race being broadcast on twitch,” She stated. “It was inappropriate slang and a stupid thing to do. I apologize to everyone who was offended by it. There’s no excuse for it, and I know I have to do better for my sponsors and my fans.”
Ford issued a statement Monday: “We are aware of this inappropriate comment. Hailie immediately acknowledged this mistake, has apologized and promised to be much more thoughtful in the future.”
Earlier tonight I used an insensitive word during an online race being broadcast on twitch. It was inappropriate slang and a stupid thing to do. I apologize to everyone who was offended by it. There's no excuse for it, and I know I have to do better for my sponsors and my fans.
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) January 11, 2021
Deegan’s NASCAR career is just budding, and this is her debut Truck season. Hailie Deegan wouldn’t want to endanger her career before it even began.
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This is the second time within a year that a NASCAR driver has apologized for a comment made on a live mic during an iRacing event.
Fortunately for Deegan, she has not been punished beyond being required to complete sensitivity training.
Are you telling me that Kyle Busch or Kurt Busch or Tony Stewart or Clint Bowyer have not used worse words than that during a race and nothing ever happened to them . You can’t say Squat anymore.