Broadcaster Derek Daly denies being the original source of the racial slur that forced longtime Colts play-by-play announcer Bob Lamey to retire and caused WISH-TV to sever its ties with Daly.

WISH-TV announced that it will no longer employ Daly as a racing analyst after saying it had determined that he was the source of the racial slur that led to Lamey’s retirement.

In a published article, WISH-TV said Daly had confirmed he was the source. Daly, while admitting he had used the n-word nearly 35 years ago, told IndyStar he had not used the slur in the way Lamey stated it, nor had he said it in during an interview with Lamey.

Daly had worked for WISH-TV as a freelance race analyst since 1990. Daly was a professional driver for 17 years before moving into television.

In a story published Wednesday night, WISH-TV said Daly, a freelance racing analyst, had confirmed he was the source of the slur in an anecdote Lamey shared from 33 years ago, leading the station to dissolve its 17-year relationship with Daly.

But in a statement provided to IndyStar on Thursday afternoon, Daly denied confirming that he was the source of Lamey’s story. Daly said he admitted to WISH-TV that he had used the n-word during an interview in the early 1980s. He said that he told WISH the conversation including the slur was with then-IMS radio announcer Larry Henry.

“He had asked me if the mics were off and I said, ‘Yeah, I turned everything off. You’re fine’,” the Emmis Communications employee recalled, according to WTHR.com. “Bob Lamey’s describing this person saying he was asked in an interview, ‘Do you think anyone’s holding back their speed at IMS during quals? Do you think anyone’s holding back?’ And that person had replied ‘There aren’t any ‘blank’ in this race.”

The employee says Lamey didn’t say “blank” in retelling that story. The employee said Lamey apologized profusely after the incident.