NASCAR has ordered driver Denny Hamlin to attend sensitivity training after the driver posted a video to Twitter.
In a now-deleted tweet, Hamlin posted a “Family Guy” clip, which depicts an Asian woman cutting across multiple lanes without putting on her turn signal. According to CBS Sports, the tweet was intended to make fun of NASCAR driver Kyle Larson, who caused a crash at last weekend’s race at Talladega Speedway.
Larson, who is half-Japanese, caused Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace to crash at the end of the race after attempting to pass the race leader on the final lap. Busch and Wallace both race for 23XI, which is co-owned by Hamlin.
Hamlin deleted the initial tweet and apologized on Monday.
“I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the comments,” Hamlin said. “It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize.”
I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the comments. It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) April 26, 2022
On Tuesday, NASCAR announced that Hamlin must begin his sensitivity training by the end of the week. NASCAR’s rulebook prohibits posts such as Hamlin’s on Monday.
“NASCAR members shall not make or cause to be made a public statement and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping situation,” NASCAR states in its rulebook.
Last November, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was required to attend sensitivity training after using the R-word in a post race interview.
At a November NASCAR Cup playoff race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, Busch was bumped by Brad Keselowski, angering Busch in his post-race interview.
“Well, he drills my a** coming out of [turn] four for no reason,” Busch said after the race. “I mean, where was he going? What was he going to do? Spin me out? He was trying to do a [Kevin] Harvick is what he was trying to do. For what? For second place? To do what? He wasn’t going to transfer through with that. It’s freaking r*******, man. So stupid. I don’t understand these guys. I should beat the s*** out of him right now is what I should do. But that doesn’t do me any good either.”
Busch apologized for his choice of words, and was required by NASCAR to attend sensitivity training prior to the start of the 2022 season.
“NASCAR officials will require Kyle Busch to take sensitivity training before the start of the 2022 season following offensive comments made after Sunday’s Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway,” NASCAR said in a statement. “The two-time series champion used a term that disparages those with intellectual disabilities when describing an on-track incident with Brad Keselowski. Both drivers were eliminated from title contention ahead of the Phoenix Raceway finale.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].