Some drivers waltz from one position to another, seemingly gaining optimal rides primarily through innate talent. Others have to claw their way up the ladders of open- and closed-wheel competition despite having similar capabilities to those dancing seamlessly to the top of the grid.
The latter situation has been the story of second-generation open-wheel standout Conor Daly, whose father’s Formula One and INDYCAR careers likely influenced his son’s choice of career. The family’s big setback? A lack of funding to assist in the very talented son’s upward mobility.
Conor Daly began his karting career at the age of 10 – he’s 27 and has his 28th birthday December 15 – and within six years won the World Karting Association Grand Nationals. He switched to cars in 2007 and went headlong into the Skip Barber National Championship by 2008, wining the title with five wins in 14 races.
Daly competed for two years in what was then the Star Mazda (Indy Pro), finishing third in his first year and earning the title in 2010. Daly then began his cross-continental career, competing in Indy Lights, GP3 and then in GP2 before returning to the USA in 2013 to race in the Indianapolis 500 with A.J. Foyt Racing, finishing 22nd in his rookie year.
By 2015, Daly was entrenched in the NTT IndyCar Series, doing one-offs when he had the opportunities. He subbed for Rocky Moran Jr. at the Long Beach road course race, raced for his Indy Lights entrant with Sam Schmidt Motorsports at Indy, replacing SSM’s James Hinchcliffe after that driver’s massive Indy crash, finishing sixth at the second Detroit race.
Daly earned his first full-time INDYCAR ride in 2016 with Dale Coyne Racing and raced the full year for Foyt’s team in 2017. Coyne entered Daly in the 2018 Indy 500 with sponsorship from the U.S. Air Force. This was the beginning of a great partnership which has allowed Daly to finish 10th at Indy this past season, racing with Andretti Autosport, who also entered him in the season finale.
Daly has found a new home for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season with fellow Indianan Ed Carpenter’s self-named team. Carpenter, who elected to race only on oval circuits that befit his sprint car roots, has had a second driver to campaign his No. 20 car on road and street circuits. This year it will be Conor Daly, partnered once again by the U.S. Air Force.
He’ll have a place on the 104th Indy 500 grid with a third entry from Ed Carpenter Racing. “As an Indiana kid, it just feels right to be getting a chance with Ed Carpenter Racing,” Daly said. “This team has done such an incredible job over the years and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ed and this group. I look forward to entering a season feeling fully prepared, with simulator time and testing for the first time in several years.”
In addition to his open wheel pavement career, over the past few seasons Conor Daly has taken stabs at USAC national midget competition at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl in Tulsa, OK and the Driven2SaveLives BC 39 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s dirt bullring. He became a three-time race winner in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, earning a third-place podium result at the Super Trofeo World Finals in Spain this fall. The driver’s breadth of experience likely influenced Carpenter’s choice.
“I am extremely proud and excited to welcome Conor Daly and the U.S. Air Force to Ed Carpenter Racing,” Ed Carpenter said. “I have seen Conor grow and mature over the course of his career and am confident that his best years are yet to come. It is a huge honor to represent the men and women who serve in the U.S. Air Force and we hope to make them proud this season.”
With Conor Daly at the helm, look for the homage shark-teeth graphics on the No. 20 Chevrolet-powered Indy car during each of the series road and street course competitions and at Indianapolis in May, where Daly’s entry will feature a different car number and a special edition livery.
Indy Lights standout 19-year-old Rinus VeeKay from the Netherlands is the full-season driver of Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 21 Chevy.
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