NASCAR indefinitely suspends driver who mocked IndyCar racer’s ‘gay voice’

NASCAR indefinitely suspended Kaulig Racing driver Daniel Dye after he mocked another driver with a homophobic remark during a livestream, triggering swift disciplinary action from both his team and the sanctioning body.

The sanctioning body announced the suspension on Tuesday, saying Dye violated a rule prohibiting members from making public statements that “criticize, ridicule, or otherwise disparage” someone based on characteristics, including sexual orientation.

The move happened after Dye, in a livestream on social media, insinuated an IndyCar driver in Florida had a “gay” voice before mocking it online.

As soon as I start doing a David Malukas gay voice, I hit a gold (card, in the pack). So let’s keep it going - Daniel Dye

The racing authority took action after Kaulig Racing suspended Dye from the team.

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Dye made the remarks during a trading-card-unpacking stream on the Whatnot platform. There, he insulted driver David Malukas after meeting him in Florida, according to The Athletic. He then imitated Malukas, mocking the pitch of Malukas's voice.

“As soon as I start doing a David Malukas gay voice, I hit a gold (card, in the pack). So let’s keep it going,” he said.

Dye races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, while Malukas finished second in the Indianapolis 500 last year. Dye currently sits at No. 13 in the Truck Series standings.

After the remarks drew attention, Dye issued a public apology to Malukas.

“I didn’t think enough before I spoke, and I in no way meant any harm,” the 22-year-old said as part of a lengthy statement. “I know that intention does not erase impact, and I need to do better.”

He also wrote, “I chose my words poorly, and I understand why it upset people. I’m sorry to anyone who was offended."

Dye added, “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.”

Research suggests those kinds of remarks are not just casual insults, but reflect deeper patterns of bias tied to how people perceive voices. A 2017 study in Archives of Sexual Behavior found that listeners routinely make assumptions about a person’s identity and character based on whether their voice sounds “gay” or “straight,” even when no information about sexual orientation is provided.

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The study found that those perceptions can carry real consequences. Participants were more likely to assign stereotypically feminine traits to men with “gay-sounding” voices and were less likely to see them as suitable for leadership roles or to want to interact with them socially, highlighting how something as subtle as vocal tone can trigger stereotyping and discrimination.

NASCAR said Dye must undergo sensitivity training before he will be allowed to return to any sanctioned competition. The controversy comes amid a broader pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric surfacing across sports from current and former athletes.

This week, former NHL player Ron Duguay drew backlash after blaming the New York Rangers’ loss on “bad mojo” tied to the team’s Pride Night, suggesting a pregame celebration featuring a rainbow flag contributed to the defeat. He later deleted the post in response to criticism but did not apologize, instead continuing to amplify coverage of the controversy online, according to Outsports.