With the Coronavirus outbreak forcing virtually all professional sports leagues to suspend operations, NASCAR has partnered with iRacing to host a virtual "Replacement Series" featuring real NASCAR drivers.

Perfect for fans. The simulation is realistic enough that it can be difficult to tell the virtual camera shots from the real thing. It adds a certain levity to the whole thing, but the competition is still fierce: last week, Jimmie Johnson joked about firing the NPC crew, and Bubba Wallace was so furious he lost his sponsor.

A less amusing incident occurred during Sunday's online race. Kyle Larson, one of NASCAR's top drivers, though not part of the Replacement Series, uttered a racist slur after his headset appeared to go out. 'Can't you hear me? Larson didn't seem to realize he was broadcasting to the entire field." Hey, n......." The other drivers immediately reacted with shock, one of which quickly said, "Kyle, you're talking to everybody, buddy."

NASCAR quickly addressed the issue and suspended Larson indefinitely the next day. In a statement, the organization said, "NASCAR makes diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate language like that used by Kyle Larson at Sunday's iRacing event." In a statement, the department said, "NASCAR makes diversity and inclusiveness a priority and will not tolerate language such as that used by Kyle Larson during Sunday's iRacing event."

Larson was also suspended from future iRacing events. Larson stated, "iRacing is a welcoming and inclusive community for racing enthusiasts around the world. iRacing is a welcoming and inclusive community for racing enthusiasts around the world. iRacing is a community of people who are committed to providing the best racing experience possible. We have a strict policy against offensive behavior and language," iRacing said in its own statement. 'Kyle Larson's language and behavior during last night's online streaming race was offensive, inappropriate, and in violation of our sporting code. As such, Kyle Larson has been suspended indefinitely from the iRacing service."

As expected, Larson released a video apology shortly after the incident, stating that he "made a mistake" and admitted that he had no excuse. I said terrible things. I am very sorry to my family, my friends, my partner, the NASCAR community, and especially the African American community. I understand that the damage is probably irreparable, and I acknowledge that."

He was right, at least in the short term: as reported by ESPN, all major sponsors, including McDonald's, Credit One Bank, and Fiserv, have terminated their sponsorship deals with him, and Chevrolet has suspended "personal service relationships." Faced with these financial difficulties, Larson's racing team, Chip Ganassi Racing, announced his termination today.

"As we have stated before, Kyle's comments were offensive and unacceptable, especially given the values of our organization," CGR said. As we continue to assess the situation with all parties involved, it became clear that this was the only appropriate course of action."

Larson may face further repercussions as his partial sponsor, Lucas Oil, which competes in the World of Outlaws sprint car series, has terminated its relationship with the driver.

Larson's quick and decisive response to the incident highlights the contrast with the typical reaction to similar incidents in esports. Even when racist or homophobic slurs are uttered by Twitch streamers, these "heated gaming moments" are usually not extensively and immediately blacklisted by the platform or sponsors. However, it is certain that racist rants will no longer be heard at future iRacing events.

Indeed, NASCAR has made relatively high-profile efforts to combat racism through its "Drive for Diversity" program, which aims to attract women and minorities to the sport. This is also an effort to address NASCAR's notoriously racist roots: stock car racing in the U.S. originated in the Deep South, and the Confederate flag is still a common sight at races; second place at Daytona in 2018 was the best black driver in NASCAR history at the Daytona 500 finish. Perhaps esports organizations will take notice.