IndyCar went into full reverse Wednesday when it released, then quickly pulled, an officially licensed shirt some fans charitably described as “tone deaf.”
Others called it “racist,” “inflammatory” and questioned how on Earth the design ever got approved in the first place.
IndyCar releases ‘One Nation, One Race’ T-shirt
On May 6, IndyCar’s official online apparel store released a shirt reading: “One Nation. One Race.” Its material — offered exclusively in a creamy, ivory color labeled “gardenia” — featured a helmeted white-clad IndyCar driver seated on the Lincoln Memorial.
“This fun graphic tee is going to be a piece that brings back great memories of this race,” a description read.
But after intense public backlash, IndyCar pulled the shirt off its digital sales rack. An archived copy, however, can still be found online — or on social media, where users have mostly condemned both it and IndyCar.
Story continues after photo gallery.
What social media users from BlueSky, Reddit and X are saying about IndyCar
“What an insane shirt for IndyCar to promote and sell,” wrote one person on BlueSky, with other users on the platform expressing surprise the shirt was officially licensed merchandise and not some random hoax.
“Who approved this? Homelander?” joked one person on a Reddit thread, likening its design to the lead villain of the popular TV series “The Boys,” who’s often portrayed as xenophobic and racist.
“This is something that never should never have been approved,” an X user said, calling the shirt “incredibly insensitive and inflammatory.”
IndyCar gives official statement on T-shirt
“A shirt was removed from INDYCAR’s online store following feedback from customers,” a spokesperson for the organization said in an email Thursday afternoon to IndyStar. “We understand that some individuals found its phrasing concerning and therefore have remedied the situation.”
IndyCar did not provide any specifics about its design process to IndyStar when asked. In hindsight, a spokesperson said, the organization has “acknowledged it’s reviewing its approval process related to event apparel.”
The shirt was originally listed for $50 and meant as a promotional tie-in for the 2026 Freedom 250 Grand Prix, happening in August, which will see cars racing down Pennsylvania Avenue, past the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at John.Tufts@IndyStar.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar pulls shirt design after online backlash calls it ‘racist,’ ‘Inflammatory’
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
