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Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace were good friends as they climbed the ranks in the NASCAR Cup Series. But Larson’s racial slur last year put a strain on his relationship with NASCAR’s only African-American driver.
Kyle Larson was suspended last season after uttering a racial slur during an iRacing event while the NASCAR series was on hold during the spread of COVID-19. Larson’s use of the N-word toward his spotter did not go over well with Wallace, who has been the sport’s leading spokesman for racial diversity.
Wallace called Larson’s language “wrong, whether in price or public.” “There is no grey area,” he said. Kyle Larson texted Wallace immediately after the incident and called him repeatedly the next day to apologize. Wallace later revealed that Larson was crying when he left a voice message.
Wallace accepted his Larson’s apology and said the young driver deserved a second chance.
“His emotions and pride were shattered,” Wallace said last year. "We discussed why he chose to use that language and I shared my thoughts. 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. There is no place for that word in this world. I am not mad at him, and I believe that he, along with most people, deserve second chances, and deserve space to improve. I do wish him and his family nothing but the best. And I am more than willing to work with him to address diversity and inclusion in our sport."
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After being suspended by NASCAR and subsequently fired by Chip Ganassi Racing, Kyle Larson, who is Japanese-American, spent the last 10 months trying to make amends for the incident. He visited the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis, Minn. and worked with the Urban Youth Racing School in Philadelphia, Pa. After a heartfelt interview with CBS on the lessons he learned about racial equality, Kyle Larson was reinstated by NASCAR.
Who are Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace driving for in 2021?
A year later, Kyle Larson is starting over as the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Wallace, meanwhile, is the new driver for the 23XI team owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin. And despite last year’s controversy, the two remain close friends.
“Yeah, Bubba and I are good,” Larson said during a Zoom conference with reporters Monday. “It’s funny you ask that, just before I walked in here, I was texting with him asking him about what gaming console to get — whether to get an Xbox or a PlayStation for my bus. He was texting us about golf last night. So, yeah everything is fine with Bubba and I. I’m excited to get on track with him. We’re each in really good equipment and I’m sure we’ll be battling each other a lot. I think the two of us look forward to leading NASCAR in this transformation.”
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Kyle Larson shied away from social media during his suspension and says he prefers to focus on “more important things than burying my face in my phone.” He said he would join Wallace, however, in speaking out on racial issues when appropriate.
“I’m sure when those things present themselves, yeah, I could put my voice out there. You don’t really know until that day comes.”
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Kyle Larson also plans to continue working with the Urban Youth Racing School and supporting other racial equality efforts. He also plans to start his own foundation, which he said could also help address racial issues.
“I want it to be something that’s personal to me, and obviously everything I went through last year is very personal to me. It’s going to be a lot of fun to do that; I’ve never had my own foundation. I’ve been to a lot of other events and things like that throughout my career in NASCAR. I’ll take bits and pieces from every one that I’ve been through and try to make an impact.”
