NASCAR driver Daniel Dye has been indefinitely suspended by both the racing organisation and his team, Kaulig Racing, after mocking fellow driver David Malukas with a homophobic stereotype during a livestream.
The 22-year-old, who competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, was speaking on the Whatnot streaming platform when he imitated Malukas, an IndyCar driver for Team Penske, using a high-pitched voice and making derogatory comments about his speech. “As soon as I start doing a David Malukas gay voice, I hit a gold. So let’s keep it going,” Dye said, according to The Athletic.
Following the video’s circulation on social media on Tuesday, NASCAR issued a statement saying Dye had been “indefinitely suspended” over his “insensitive comments” and must complete sensitivity training before returning to competition. Kaulig Racing also suspended him indefinitely.
Dye apologised on X on Tuesday evening, describing his remarks as careless. “I chose my words poorly, and I understand why it upset people,” he wrote, adding that he has close friends in the LGBTQ+ community and should hold himself to a higher standard.
Dye, from Daytona Beach, Florida, is currently 13th in the Truck Series standings. In 2022, while in high school, he was arrested for striking a fellow student in the groin; the battery charge was later dismissed. Malukas, who finished second in the 2025 Indianapolis 500, has not commented publicly.
