NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin must undergo sensitivity training after ‘offensive’ meme
NASCAR driver and co-owner of 23XI Racing Denny Hamlin has been ordered to complete sensitivity training after posted a meme online about friend and fellow driver Kyle Larson following a wreck during Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. The video featured a clip from “Family Guy,” along with video from the race.
On the final lap of the Geico 500, Kyle Larson attempted to make a move up the track which caused a wreck. Both 23XI cars, the 23 of Bubba Wallace and the 45 of Kurt Busch, were collected in the incident.
Having already fallen out of contention, Denny Hamlin decided to make fun of the decision, but later deleted the post and said it was “offensive” and a “poor choice of memes.” The meme featured an Asian woman from who is bad at driving, which many fans took offense to given Larson’s Japanese heritage.
“I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the comments,” Hamlin tweeted. “It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize.”
Kyle Larson himself has already finished NASCAR’s sensitivity training after he said the n-word during a live stream in 2020. He was also suspended from the sport and fired by his team before returning six months later with Hendrick Motorsports.
NASCAR crash at Talladega
As has become tradition, the winner at Talladega Superspeedway was decided by a pass on the final lap. Winner Ross Chastain crossed the finish line first after a series of big blocks and wild crashes behind him coming off the final turn.
As the field of cars all tried to make their final move toward victory lane, teammates pushed each other and rivals attempted to side draft each other for a competitive advantage. However, as the smoke cleared, Ross Chastain had clinched the second ever win for TrackHouse Racing, co-owned by pop icon Pitbull.
With Erik Jones’ 43 car out front at the white flag, which indicates one lap to go, second place Kyle Larson decided to move up the track in front of Kurt Busch, sending him into the wall hard. As his car came back toward the pack, Busch collided with teammate Bubba Wallace, turning him into the wall.
As Jones attempted to block the move made by Larson, Chastain continued straight through the middle. In the background, more cars hit Wallace against the wall and another car got kicked out of line toward the inside. With cars spinning out behind him, Chastain won.