Driver Spotlight: Conor Daly’s Stock Car Career

Conor Daly began what he hoped was to be a successful open-wheel career at the age of 10 racing karts. As Daly began to move up the ladder of the IndyCar world, he was certainly seen as a prospect.

With success in the kart world, the Star Mazda Championship, Indy Lights,GP2 and 3…Daly was poised to be the next breakthrough driver in IndyCar. Daly finally arrived to Indianapolis in 2013, making his debut with A.J. Foyt Racing. Daly would finish a respectable 22nd in the Indy 500 that year in Foyt’s #41 entry.

Fast-forward to 2023, Daly now has 104 IndyCar starts…but with only one Podium finish (2nd at Belle Isle in 2016). With Daly’s open-wheel career sputtering, he started turning his attention to machines with fenders in 2018.

Making his stock car debut at Road America, Daly was announced as a team car to then-driver Ryan Reed in Roush Fenway Racing’s #6 Ford Mustang. This however was not without controversy. Originally, Daly (who is a diabetic) was scheduled to run a second Lilly Diabetes-sponsored entry as a twin to Ryan Reed’s #16 Ford. Lilly unfortunately pulled their sponsorship before the race, due to Daly’s father using a slur during an interview in the 1980’s.

2018:

The Road America event mentioned above, to this day remains Daly’s solo Xfinity Series start. Daly remained in the #6 Ford for the event, although now unsponsored. Qualifying a decent 15th, Daly would not make the full event going out due to suspension issues with 10 to go. This day would earn Daly a 31st place finish.

2020 and 2021:

While mainly focusing on other forms of racing following his Xfinity debut, Daly would appear in NASCAR yet again in 2020. This time signing to drive Niece Motorsports’ #42 Chevrolet, Daly would make his Truck Series debut in Las Vegas, finishing 18th after starting 27th.

Daly would return to Niece Motorsports in 2021 again in Las Vegas, this time driving the #44 Chevrolet. This race did not go as planned however, as Daly would qualify 36th and finish 40th (due to an accident).

2022 and 2023:

While competing full-time in IndyCar in 2022, Daly announced he was set to make his Cup Series debut with the The Money Team and their #50 Chevrolet, in the fall at the Charlotte ROVAL. Bringing sponsor Bitnile.com with him, Daly would put TMT’s entry in the field, but came home 34th after starting 39th. This would be Daly’s solo 2022 start.

2023 thus far has seen Daly and the #50 TMT Camaro make two starts, which have come in the Daytona 500, as well at COTA. Daly would finish 29th in his Daytona 500 debut, while he would come home 36th in Texas.

Daly for the most part will now be focusing on his sporadic NASCAR starts, as he was let go from his IndyCar ride with Ed Carpenter Racing this month.

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NASCAR / INDYCAR CAREER RESULTS (as of 6/24):