Dye reinstated by NASCAR but out at Kaulig Racing

Daniel Dye was reinstated by NASCAR on Tuesday after serving a suspension and completing sensitivity training for comments he made on a live stream, but he will not return to Kaulig Racing or his ride in the Craftsman Truck Series.

“I’m incredibly thankful for my time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and for the chance to compete with Kaulig Racing alongside some of the most passionate fans in motorsports,” Dye posted on social media. “At this time, I am stepping away from that role. NASCAR has played a meaningful role in my development, and I don’t take that opportunity lightly. After a lot of honest self-reflection and guidance from mentors I trust, I’ve decided the smartest move for my career is to realign my focus on my long-term objective of becoming a successful driver at the highest level of stock car racing.

“Now that I’m reinstated, I’m optimistic about what the future holds and look forward to working hard at my next opportunity. This sport and its fans mean everything to me, and I can’t wait to get back to it, focused on the real goal more than ever.”

Dye was suspended by both NASCAR and Kaulig Racing on March 17 for insensitive behavior. It was through clips that surfaced on social media that Dye was seen and heard mocking NTT IndyCar Series driver David Malukas for his voice and the inferences he was making about his sexuality.

The incident came after Dye had run the first three races of the season with the No. 10 team for Kaulig Racing. Dye’s best finish was a 13th-place effort at EchoPark Speedway.

Dye (pictured front) had a best finish of 13th at EchoPark Speedway from three starts this season. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

“Kaulig Racing has accepted Daniel Dye’s resignation,” the team posted on social media, “and we wish him great success in the pursuit of his personal and professional goals.”

AJ Allmendinger drove the truck at Darlington Raceway in Dye’s absence. Corey LaJoie will take over the truck to complete the season.

“The last couple of months I’ve missed the grind of working towards a goal of success on track,” LaJoie said. “There’s certainly a lot of work ahead of us getting our Ram trucks to a place where we compete for wins, but with the people in the Kaulig Racing building, I believe we will get there. I really appreciate the confidence Kaulig Racing and Ram have in me. I have been a part of building a couple of teams from the ground up and getting success, and I will bring that experience to help Kaulig get to their potential on a quicker path.

“I love what Kaulig and Ram are doing to promote the Truck Series and the sport. It will be a fun challenge to be a part of.”

The Truck Series returns to competition this weekend at Rockingham Speedway.

“We selected Corey because of his extensive experience in just about every series in NASCAR and how well he worked with our organization at Darlington when he drove the No. 25,” Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice said. “He brings the skill, maturity, and work ethic we need to get our Ram program where it needs to be. We think he’ll help us speed that development and battle for checkered flags. We’re confident he’s the right driver to help us.”