Daniel Dye has been suspended by NASCAR and his team, Kaulig Racing, after he mocked a fellow driver’s voice as “gay” during a recent livestream.
Dye, a 22-year-old competitor in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, was speaking on the Whatnot streaming platform when he launched into a mockery of David Malukas, a Team Penske IndyCar driver, using a high-pitched voice.
“He’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, yas, we race Indianapolis, too. Love Indianapolis. And Roger Penske,’” Dye said, according to The Athletic. “As soon as I start doing a David Malukas gay voice, I hit a gold. So let’s keep it going.”
After the video circulated on social media on Tuesday, NASCAR issued a statement saying that Dye had been “indefinitely suspended” over his “insensitive comments.” The racing organization said he “must complete sensitivity training before he may return to competition.”
Kaulig Racing released a similar statement, saying that the Florida-born racer had been indefinitely suspended from the team “after becoming aware today of comments he made on social media.”
In a post on X on Tuesday evening, Dye apologized for his remarks, which he described as careless.
“I chose my words poorly, and I understand why it upset people,” he said. “I’m sorry to anyone who was offended. That’s not how I want to represent myself.”
“I have some close friends in the LGBTQ+ community who I would never want to feel less of themselves because of what I said, and that’s exactly why I should hold myself to a higher standard,” he added.
Dye, who is from Daytona Beach, began his career in regional races, including at the New Smyrna Speedway, before moving up to national competition, becoming recognized as one of NASCAR’s promising young talents. He is currently 13th in the Truck Series standings.
This is not the first controversy to affect him.
While in high school in 2022, Dye was arrested after striking a fellow student in the groin, according to The Athletic. He was charged with battery, though the charge was ultimately dismissed.
Malukas, who finished in second place in the 2025 Indianapolis 500, has not publicly commented on Dye’s remarks or suspension.
