A NASCAR driver apologized after he was suspended indefinitely for mocking another driver in a tone that he called his “gay voice.”
Daniel Dye, 22, was captured on a livestream video using the voice to ridicule IndyCar driver David Malukas after another person said Malukas “plays for the other team.”
In 2022, he was suspended for allegedly punching a high school classmate in the groin.
Dye, who was trading cards at the time, used the gay tone and bobbed his head in a mocking fashion, as described by NBC News.
“It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, yes! We race Indianapolis too! Love Indianapolis and Roger Penske. I love Roger. Love you, Roger,'” Dye said.
“As soon as I do a David Malukas gay voice I get a gold, so let’s keep it going,” he added, implying that the gay voice led to his finding premium cards. “I’m on fire!”
Nascar said the incident violated its policy against drivers making a statement that “criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.”
Dye issued a lengthy statement apologizing for the behavior and promising to be better in the future.
“I want to first apologize to David Malukas. I recently went on a live stream with some friends and made some careless comments. I chose my words poorly, and I understand why it upset people. I’m sorry to anyone who was offended,” Dye wrote.
He added that he spoke to his friends in the LGBTQ+ community about the incident.
“I’m taking this seriously and working on being more aware and respectful moving forward. I’m sorry to everyone I let down,” he added. “I am committed to learning from this and better understanding … the impact that my decisions can have on others.”
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Dye’s racing team Kaulig Racing also announced an indefinite suspension of the driver.
This is the second time Dye had been suspended over off-track antics. In 2022, he was suspended for allegedly punching a high school classmate in the groin. He was charged with a felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor and eventually dropped altogether.
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