IndyCar Series veteran Conor Daly is returning to NASCAR for a one-off road course race. He will reunite with Niece Motorsports at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
The Truck Series team announced the news on June 15. Niece Motorsports said that Daly will take over the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado on July 8 as he makes his third career Truck Series start, his first away from Nevada.
Really thankful for the chance to get in an extremely competitive truck at Mid-Ohio with @NieceMotorsport ! Al Niece and Cody Efaw have become great friends of mine and I appreciate their belief in me. This wouldnt be possible without the great folks @Unishippers @WWEXRacing !
“I can’t wait to work with everyone at Niece Motorsports again,” said Daly in a press release. “Even though we’ve only done a few races together, it feels like I’m part of their family. I have a lot of respect for Al Niece and the supportive partners of the team like Unishippers and Worldwide Express.
“It means a lot to get to represent them as well as Chevrolet. Mid-Ohio is one of my favorite tracks and with the experience I have there I think it will be really beneficial in getting me up to speed quickly.”
Daly’s first two starts with Niece Motorsports were at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2020 and 2021. He finished 18th in his first race and 40th in the second after being collected in a crash.
Daly Has Several Starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
GettyConor Daly (front) races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Indiana native has only made two starts in the Truck Series, and the trip to Mid-Ohio will be his first in a Chevrolet Silverado. Though he has several starts at the road course in other series.
Daly has suited up for seven IndyCar Series races at Mid-Ohio while driving for multiple teams. He finished sixth in 2016 while driving for Dale Coyne and then he finished 10th the following season while driving for AJ Foyt.
Daly will now have an opportunity to take on the road course once again while controlling a different type of vehicle. The race at Mid-Ohio will also mark the fourth time in his NASCAR career that he has taken on a road course.
His previous starts include the Road America Xfinity Series race in 2018, the Roval Cup Series race in 2022, and the Circuit of the Americas Cup Series race in 2023.
“We’ve enjoyed working with Conor in the past and are excited to have him join our team again this season,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw.
“Conor’s experience on road courses, especially at Mid-Ohio, should be a big benefit for him this weekend. We’re looking forward to getting on track with the Unishippers Chevrolet.”
Daly Recently Underwent a Career Change
The return to the Craftsman Truck Series takes place after Daly dealt with a career change. He and Ed Carpenter Racing mutually parted ways after seven of the IndyCar Series races in 2023 and a season-best finish of eighth in the Indy 500.
[DRIVER UPDATE] Ed Carpenter Racing and Conor Daly have mutually agreed to end their relationship, effective immediately.
The No. 20 t.co/lSLlMEAc03 Chevrolet will continue as a full-time entry in the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
1/2
Since this split, Daly has added some more events to his racing schedule. The Craftsman Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is only the latest example.
Daly will also make his long-awaited Nitrocross debut. He will join the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC Team for the opening round at MidAmerica Outdoors in Oklahoma, and he will take over one of the purpose-built race cars while We The People Holsters, Savage for Him, and Eight Eleven serve as his primary partners.
We are thrilled to announce @ConorDaly22 will drive for us in Round 1 of @Nitrocross_!
📲 More in bio!
I’m incredibly excited to join Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC and compete in the upcoming Nitrocross race in Oklahoma,” said Daly in a press release. “The chance to test my abilities in this intense, adrenaline-fueled series is something I’ve been anticipating.
“I’m grateful to the team for believing in me and providing this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel and showcase what we can achieve together. I also want to thank Travis Pastrana and Nitrocross for all of their help and effort in getting this program together.”
Comments
Conor Daly Reunites With Winning NASCAR Team