Old NASCAR driver comments resurface amid controversy

It’s generally not a good thing when an unrelated topic NASCAR races dominate NASCAR headlines for a week between Cup Series races. But that was the case between Sunday afternoon’s race at Talladega Superspeedway and this Sunday afternoon’s race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Coming to the checkered flag last week, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson made an ill-advised move to the outside that took out several cars, including the 23XI Racing Toyotas of Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace.

Denny Hamlin, co-owner of the 23XI Racing team, wasn’t happy with Larson, but given that he and Larson are close friends, he expressed his frustration on Twitter in a way he thought was funny: by sharing a Family Guy clip of a woman attempting to “cross eight lanes” without using a signal – and adding footage of Larson’s move.

The woman in the video was an Asian woman and Larson is of Asian descent. Many viewed this post as promoting a racial stereotype. Hamlin initially defended it in a separate tweet, but he later deleted both the video and the additional tweet and issued an apology. NASCAR then got involved itself, force Hamlin to undergo sensitivity training.

As usual, several fans thought NASCAR’s response was ridiculouswhile others felt it was a fair punishment and could provide him with a learning opportunity.

Regardless, the issue brought to the forefront some comments made by another NASCAR driver last season after NASCAR required Kyle Busch to undergo sensitivity training for using an offensive word in an interview after the playoff race at Martinsville.

In response to NASCAR demanding that Busch undergo sensitivity training, Matt DiBenedetto said: “I feel like living on planet Earth in 2021 is constant sensitivity training *laughing emoji*” on Twitter.

He then posted another message, “Trying to bring light humor to our crazy world *laugh emoji*”on his Instagram story.

But fans — presumably those looking for something upsetting — misinterpreted DiBenedetto’s remarks as downplaying the need for Busch to undergo sensitivity training, which clearly wasn’t the point of what he was saying.

In fact, the criticism leveled at DiBenedetto became so severe that he deactivated his Twitter account for a while, but not before making the following statement.

“The comments below prove my point. Social media and these times have made me sad. Attacking people has become the norm, even with light humor. As humans, we are our own worst enemies »”

If any situation proved DiBenedetto right, it was last week’s situation with Larson and Hamlin.

All DiBenedetto has ever said is that you have to be very careful these days with what you say and post. Who can disagree with that? Look at what social networks have become. You really need to be careful about what you post because it can definitely be turned into something that can be used against you if the wrong people get ahold of it.

Earlier this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass spoke to Hamlin and Larson about the issue.

Hamlin admitted he found the video hilarious, as many did. In fact, he probably still does, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

However, he pointed out that this could also be seen as offensive to others and that in his position he has to be very careful to ensure that he does not appear to be belittling anyone, even if it is not. That’s not what he meant. TO DO.

Likewise, Larson said he was not offended by the tweet. However, agreeing with DiBenedetto’s – and Hamlin’s – assertion, he reiterated the fact that you really need to be careful about what you post, especially considering the position these drivers are in and the number of people who admire them.

To this day, the criticism leveled at DiBenedetto regarding his statements makes no sense. But it’s always nice to be able to look back several months later and say, “I was right.” He certainly was. And we would all be much better off if we listened to common sense instead of jumping straight to criticism because we got something wrong.