Daniel Day was suspended from NASCAR and his team, Kaulig Racing, after he mocked a driver’s voice as “gay” during a recent live broadcast.
Day, 22, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor, used his high-pitched voice to mock Penske IndyCar driver David Malukas while speaking on the Whatnot streaming platform.
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“He said, ‘Oh my gosh, yeah, we race Indianapolis, too. Love Indianapolis. And Roger Penske,'” Day reportedly said. Competitor. “I hit gold when I started imitating David Malukas’ gay voice. So let’s keep it going.”
After the video circulated on social media on Tuesday, NASCAR issued a statement saying Day had been “suspended indefinitely” for his “insensitive comments.” The racing organization said he “must complete sensitivity training before returning to competition.”
Kaulig Racing issued a similar statement, saying the Florida-born driver had been suspended indefinitely “after becoming aware today of comments he made on social media.”
Daniel Day suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for making “insensitive comments” about another driver during a recent live broadcast (Getty Images)
It was a misnomer and I understand why this upset people,” Day said in a post on X (Getty Images)
Day apologized for his comments, which he called careless, in a post on X on Tuesday night.
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“My choice of words was poor and I understand why it upset people,” he said. “I’m sorry to anyone who was offended. That’s not the way I wanted to express myself.”
He added: “I have some close friends in the LGBTQ+ community and I never want to make them uncomfortable because of something I say, and that’s exactly why I should hold myself to a higher standard.”
Day, who is from Daytona Beach, began his career in regional competition, including at New Smyrna Speedway, before moving on to national competition and becoming recognized as one of NASCAR’s promising young talents. He currently sits 13th in the Truck Series standings.
This is not the first controversy to affect him.
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In 2022, while in high school, Day was reportedly arrested for punching a classmate in the groin. Competitor. He was charged with battery, but the charges were eventually dismissed.
Malukas, who finished second in the 2025 Indianapolis 500, has not publicly commented on Day’s comments or suspension.
