Entertainment Sports NASCAR's Denny Hamlin to Undergo Sensitivity Training After Tweeting Anti-Asian Meme Denny Hamlin posted a meme using footage from the television show Family Guy to criticize fellow driver Kyle Larson, whose mother is Japanese American By Jason Hahn Jason Hahn Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 27, 2022 03:53 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty NASCAR will require driver Denny Hamlin to complete a sensitivity training course after he tweeted an anti-Asian meme in reference to a fellow driver. According to the racing organization's website, Hamlin is required to begin the course by the end of the week. The decision follows Hamlin sending a tweet to driver Kyle Larson on Monday afternoon which included a clip from an episode of the television show, Family Guy, that features an Asian woman driving poorly, which many noted perpetuates anti-Asian stereotypes. (Larson's mother is Japanese American.) Hamlin, who drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, deleted the post shortly after tweeting it, calling the meme a "poor choice." "I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the comments," Hamlin said in a follow-up tweet. "It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive," he added. "It came across totally wrong. I apologize." Bubba Wallace Is 'Proud' of Suspended NASCAR Driver for Writing Apology Letter After Using N-Word Brian Lawdermilk/Getty On Tuesday, reporter Bob Pockrass posted a statement from Toyota that said the carmaker spoke with Hamlin and supported NASCAR's response to the tweet. "We have spoken with Denny Hamlin regarding his tweet from yesterday. Toyota supports NASCAR's decision to mandate sensitivity training for Denny and we will all move forward together," they said. The since-deleted clip Hamlin posted spliced the Family Guy scene that referenced a stereotype about Asian drivers with footage of Larson causing a wreck at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday. NASCAR Suspends Driver Kyle Larson for Using Racial Slur During Virtual Race According to ESPN, Larson tried to move up the pack during the final lap of the race through an aggressive move that ultimately caused 3XI driver Kurt Busch to crash. The outlet said the Family Guy clip reposted by Hamlin had already been removed from streaming platforms. Larson, too, has previously undergone sensitivity training following a 2020 incident where he was recorded using the N-word during a virtual race. RELATED VIDEO: NASCAR Pit Crew Member Killed in Car Crash Alongside Wife While on Honeymoon in Florida Keys He reflected on the experience in a lengthy letter six months later. "Since April, I've done a lot of reflecting. I realized how little I really knew about the African American experience in this country and racism in general. Educating myself is something I should've done a long time ago, because it would've made me a better person – the kind of person who doesn't casually throw around an awful, racist word," he explained at the time. "The kind who makes an effort to understand the hate and oppression it symbolizes and the depth of pain it has caused Black people throughout history and still to this day," Larson added. "It was past time for me to shut up, listen and learn."