Indianapolis Native, Conor Daly, Announces He is Parting Ways with Ed Carpenter Racing

There’s no place like Indianapolis Motor Speedway when local lad, Conor Daly, takes the lead in the Indy 500. The entire place would erupt. I was there in 2021 when he did it for the first time in the legendary Air Force paint scheme (inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen Squadron). It was the only time, that I could remember, the sound of the crowd drowned out the roaring engines. The same would happen when he would take the lead again in 2022. All of these memories etched into the history of the speedway were made by Conor Daly driving an Ed Carpenter car.

Yesterday, on Twitter, Conor Daly told the motorsports world that these memories would now be a thing of the past, as they pertain to Ed Carpenter Racing. 

Conor Daly’s Announcement 

Conor was quick to mention that the parting of ways was mutual and I think Conor is telling the truth. This announcement did not seem to come as a surprise for many. Conor’s performance hasn’t been great at Ed Carpenter Racing. He supplied the team with great Indy 500 memories, but outside of the confines of Indianapolis, he still has yet to win a race in the IndyCar Series and could only post as high as a 17th place finish in points last year. 

Where Can He Go?

This isn’t the first time that Daly has found himself without a ride. Years ago he would lose all sponsorships and his spot in a NASCAR team after old news broke of his father, Derek Daly, using a racial slur during an interview decades ago. Because Derek Daly was Irish, something was lost in translation, because he did not know what the word meant in American English. At least, this time, him losing his ride is somewhat Conor’s doing and even his choice. But where does Conor go from here? Will he stay in IndyCar? I don’t think so, I think Conor has reached the point where he just wants to have fun and be competitive. I think that time has passed for him in IndyCar.

My bet is that he tries to pick up back where he left off in NASCAR. Spice things up with a completely different driving style while still competing in the Indy 500 on a single race basis. Afterall, Daly is an Indianapolis boy. He’s like all of us. He just can’t quit the Indianapolis 500.