NASCAR took the severe route of indefinitely suspending Nationwide Series driver, Jeremy Clements for what the sanctioning body characterized as “an intolerable and insensitive remark.”
In a brief statement the penalty was characterized as “Jeremy Clements, a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s Code of Conduct. On Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway, Clements was found to have violated Sections 7-5 (NASCAR’s Code of Conduct) and 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing).
“During the course of an interview, Jeremy Clements made an intolerable and insensitive remark,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.
“NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that’s explicitly spelled out in the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book. We fully expect our entire industry to adhere to that Code.”
On Thursday Clements appeared on an ESPN interview admitting a racial slur was involved.
“When you say 'racial' remark, it wasn't used to describe anybody or anything," Clements told ESPN.
“So that's all I'm going to say to that. And it really wasn't. I was describing racing, and the word I used was incorrect and I shouldn't have said it. It shouldn't be used at all."
How it happened
The statement came about following the Nationwide Series pre-race drivers’ meeting. A NASCAR official was escorting an MTV reporter who asked Clements how to find another driver.
"While we're walking they started, he [MTV] started, asking me questions," Clements told ESPN. "And it wasn't recorded. We were just talking. So I said one remark about how I wouldn't ..." and then he stopped. He also said he only said the offending word one time. That's pretty much how it happened," he told ESPN. "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."
Clement said he would be suspended for a minimum of two races and must undergo some sort of speech training.
Clement told ESPN that the interview was not recorded and that he later admitted saying the word. He said a NASCAR official called him on Sunday and asked him if he had used the word.
"There was just three people standing there when I said this,” Clement told ESPN. “And it was me, a girl that works for NASCAR and the MTV guy. There was no cameras. No recording. No nothing.
"(A NASCAR official) asked me point-blank: 'Hey, did you say this word?' And I said, 'Yes, I did.' I was being honest. I did. I messed up. It was just one word and it wasn't about anybody. It wasn't even used as that."
Facebook
On Clement’s Facebook page there was a post attributed to him: “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. I will not get into specifics of what I said but my comment to the writer was in no way meant to be disrespectful or insensitive to anyone or to be detrimental to NASCAR or the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I will do what I need to do in order to atone for my error in judgment. “
In a brief statement the penalty was characterized as “Jeremy Clements, a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s Code of Conduct. On Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway, Clements was found to have violated Sections 7-5 (NASCAR’s Code of Conduct) and 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing).
“During the course of an interview, Jeremy Clements made an intolerable and insensitive remark,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.
“NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that’s explicitly spelled out in the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book. We fully expect our entire industry to adhere to that Code.”
On Thursday Clements appeared on an ESPN interview admitting a racial slur was involved.
“When you say 'racial' remark, it wasn't used to describe anybody or anything," Clements told ESPN.
“So that's all I'm going to say to that. And it really wasn't. I was describing racing, and the word I used was incorrect and I shouldn't have said it. It shouldn't be used at all."
How it happened
The statement came about following the Nationwide Series pre-race drivers’ meeting. A NASCAR official was escorting an MTV reporter who asked Clements how to find another driver.
"While we're walking they started, he [MTV] started, asking me questions," Clements told ESPN. "And it wasn't recorded. We were just talking. So I said one remark about how I wouldn't ..." and then he stopped. He also said he only said the offending word one time. That's pretty much how it happened," he told ESPN. "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."
Clement said he would be suspended for a minimum of two races and must undergo some sort of speech training.
Clement told ESPN that the interview was not recorded and that he later admitted saying the word. He said a NASCAR official called him on Sunday and asked him if he had used the word.
"There was just three people standing there when I said this,” Clement told ESPN. “And it was me, a girl that works for NASCAR and the MTV guy. There was no cameras. No recording. No nothing.
"(A NASCAR official) asked me point-blank: 'Hey, did you say this word?' And I said, 'Yes, I did.' I was being honest. I did. I messed up. It was just one word and it wasn't about anybody. It wasn't even used as that."
On Clement’s Facebook page there was a post attributed to him: “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. I will not get into specifics of what I said but my comment to the writer was in no way meant to be disrespectful or insensitive to anyone or to be detrimental to NASCAR or the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I will do what I need to do in order to atone for my error in judgment. “