It’s getting increasingly more difficult to separate sports and politics, especially when the Department of Homeland Security produces an AI image with an ICE detention center called the “Speedway Slammer” right outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
On Tuesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the expansion of the Miami Correctional Facility in north central Indiana. She also dubbed it the “Speedway Slammer” so that it has a Fox News worthy name in line with the infamous “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida. That facility has already been the subject of allegations of inhumane conditions with many human rights organizations calling for it to be shut down.
To double down on the controversial imagery, the Homeland Security X account shared what looks to be an AI image of the “Speedway Slammer” showcasing a race track (presumably Indianapolis Motor Speedway) with an ICE sponsored car on track and a prison right outside the track walls.
The Speedway Slammer 🏁 pic.twitter.com/fXlTgWW8jA
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 5, 2025
Of course, all of this was news to IndyCar.
It has been a great season for IndyCar. In their first year of a new rights deal with Fox Sports, the series is more accessible than ever before with every race on network television. Ratings have gone up and the success of the deal was confirmed when Fox bought a 33% stake in the series.
In responding to the post, an IndyCar statement tried to walk the diplomatic tightrope. While they did not categorically condemn the photo, the series did distance itself from it and said they did not want to be associated with this or any other political policy issue.
#NEW: @IndyCar tells me they were not aware of the Department of Homeland Security’s plans to use “Speedway” as part of their branding for the new ICE detention center coming to Indiana.
They are asking that their name and imagery no longer be associated with the topic.
It… pic.twitter.com/cMbUacv2mJ
— Kyla Russell (@KylaBRussell) August 6, 2025
“We were unaware of plans to incorporate our imagery as part of today’s announcement. Consistent with our approach to public policy and political issues, we are communicating our preference that our IP not be utilized moving forward in relation to this matter,” the statement from IndyCar read.
It’s especially shameful that the DHS post depicts a #5 car, which is currently driven by Mexico’s Pato O’Ward, arguably the most popular driver in the series.
The last thing the racing series needs is to be drawn into political controversy. It would have been more encouraging to see a more forceful and impactful statement from IndyCar given the flippant nature of the post and the ease to which the administration draws sports figures and even entire series into their political agenda. But maybe that’s asking too much given how others in the sports world have acquiesced to political pressure this year.
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