It seems you are trying to deflect from the nature of his statement. He was unhappy because a Japanese driver won on Memorial day. How is that not a comment anchored in ethnic bias? Any less bigoted if it is ethnicity based as opposed to race? As others have pointed out, it is a distinction without a difference. 

We fought 2 wars with England and one with Italy. Think Terry would have made the same comment had one of those nationalities won? It WAS 75 years ago. Perhaps time to build a bridge and get over it.