Avondale, AZ (Sports Network) - Suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Clements will have to seek professional help before he is reinstated following his penalty for violating the sanctioning body's code of conduct.
Earlier this week, NASCAR placed Clements, a Nationwide Series competitor, on indefinite suspension for an inappropriate comment he made on Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway. He reportedly made a racial slur during an interview with a reporter.
NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations Steve O'Donnell said on Saturday that Clements, 28, will meet with Dr. Richard Lapchick, who is the director of both the National Consortium for Academics and Sports and the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. He is also a professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
"We believe strongly we made the right decision there," O'Donnell said during a press conference at Phoenix International Raceway, the site of this weekend's Nationwide race. "Our go-forward plan with Jeremy is to employ Dr. Richard Lapchick, have him work with Dr. Richard Lapchick and get him back in a race car as soon as we deem fit."
Clements publicly apologized for the incident shortly after his suspension was handed down to him.
