NASCAR racing icon Kyle Larson has sparked controversy by announcing that he will not be celebrating Pride Month in June. With his strong statement, Larson said that the “WOKE” culture is not worth remembering, causing the online community and racing fans to split into two opposing opinions. The keyword “Kyle Larson Pride Month” quickly became the center of attention on X.
Kyle Larson, who won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series, expressed his opinion in a recent interview. He said that the “WOKE” movement is being abused and does not represent the true values of the community. This statement was made just days after NASCAR was criticized for not posting in support of Pride Month on social media, according to an article on OutKick. Larson seemed to want to send a strong message that he does not support imposing social values on sports.
Larson’s decision has caused many mixed opinions. Some fans supported his stance, saying that sports should focus on competition rather than social issues. However, many others criticized Larson, saying he was disrespectful to the LGBTQ+ community. On X, the hashtag #KyleLarsonPrideMonth became a hot topic, with a series of posts debating the driver’s comments.
Larson has been going through a difficult time after consecutive crashes at the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in late May, according to Yahoo Sports. Although he did not complete his goal of “The Double”, he is still one of the top drivers for Hendrick Motorsports. However, his latest statement could affect his personal image and relationship with NASCAR, which has been criticized for social issues in the past.
Kyle Larson’s comments about Pride Month have further heated up the debate about the role of sports in social issues. Did his views affect his NASCAR career?