In 2020, when Kyle Larson uttered a racial slur during an iRacing event, he faced the proposition of his racing career coming to a premature end. It would have been an ignominious exit.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Everything seemed to come easy for Jeff Gordon, including his first Daytona 500 win. In 1997, NASCAR’s 25-year-old superstar became the youngest champion ever. A year later, fan ...