Nationwide Series driver Jeremy Clements used a racial slur in an interview with a writer at the Daytona 500 last weekend and was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on Wednesday.
According to ESPN.com, sources said that NASCAR suspended the driver indefinitely after he used the remark, which officials would not confirm or discuss with reporters. NASCAR officials said that it was an "intolerable and insensitive remark' and it violated the Code of Conduct for actions detrimental to stock car racing.
Racing officials said that the slur cane during an interview on Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway and was the same say as the opening race for the Nationwide season that had a scary crash involving Kyle Larson.
Clements finished 33rd in the opening season race and released a statement about the incident, saying: "I apologize and regret what I said to the NASCAR writer and to NASCAR, my sponsors, my fans, and my team. NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that everyone must follow and I unintentionally violated that code.
According to ESPN.com, on Thursday Clements spoke about the comments in detail on Thursday in a one-on-one interview with ESPN, although he did not say what the specific comment was. The report said that Clements spoke about the comments he made and was asked whether it was racial or not.
"Was it racial or not? Maybe not in context, but in term?" Clements replied: "Correct."
"When you say 'racial' remark, it wasn't used to describe anybody or anything," Clements said. "So that's all I'm going to say to that. And it really wasn't. I was describing racing
Sources that spoke to ESPN.com on Wednesday said that Clements was banned for using a racial comment, although they would not confirm what that comment was. Clements claimed he used the word once and said it was made after a drivers meeting at the racetrack on Saturday.
Clements explained that after the meeting, he was asked by a NASCAR employee about where Johanna Long's transporter was and he escorted the employee and a reporter from MTV to the area. While they were walking, he explained that the reporter began asking him questions.
"And while we're walking they started, he [MTV] started, asking me questions," Clements said. "And it wasn't recorded. We were just talking. So I said one remark about how I wouldn't..."
He stopped short.
"I can't say that part," he said.
"That's pretty much how it happened," he continued. "And even after I said what I said, they still kept asking me questions. It didn't seem like it was a big deal at all. I didn't even think twice about it, like, after. I know I shouldn't have said it. Even when I did say it, I shouldn't have said it. But I didn't think it was going to be a big deal."
The comments will keep him out of the running for at least two races and he will also have to undergo some sensitivity speech training as part of his punishment. Although the comment was not recorded, he said it came to the attention of NASCAR officials after he was honest about it.
"Because I was an honest person," he said. "There was just three people standing there when I said this. And it was me, a girl that works for NASCAR and the MTV guy. There was no cameras. No recording. No nothing."
