Daniel Dye has been reinstated by the ARCA Menards Series and will compete this weekend at Kansas Speedway, Dye announced May 13.
Dye’s indefinite suspension was lifted after the news came May 13 that his original felony battery charge was lessened to a misdemeanor battery charge.
“I am happy to report that ARCA has dropped its suspension after my lawyer provided the State’s Attorney with sworn statements from eye witnesses,” Dye said in a release. “Following review of this information and its own investigation including review of medical records the state reduced the charge to a misdemeanor.
“Before I get back to racing, I think it is important to explain what happened that led local police officers to take me into custody,” Dye added. “The facts are that me and my classmates have been engaged in a silly and admittedly immature game commonly played at the school between boys and involves hitting each other in the groin area. This has been going on since we were in the 9th grade. The other student ‘got me’ and then I got him back.
“I want to be very clear that nobody was trying to seriously injure anyone in the game and I am relieved to know that the other student has recovered.”
Dye was initially arrested on April 26 and charged with felony battery on a classmate at Father Lopez Catholic High School in Daytona Beach, Fla. A day later, ARCA indefinitely suspended the driver.
Dye competes full time in the national ARCA series in GMS Racing’s No. 43. He enters Kansas second in points, one behind leader Rajah Caruth, having not missed an event due to the series’ multi-week break since Talladega Superspeedway in April, with two top fives and top 10s in three races this year.
The Dutch Boy 150 will take place Saturday, May 14, at 2 p.m. ET, with TV coverage from FOX Sports 1.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.