Ed Carpenter Racing has announced that they have parted ways with Conor Daly after three and a half seasons of partnership. Daly, who began his IndyCar career in 2013, has struggled for speed this year with a next-best result of 14th at the St Petersburg opener. In Sunday’s race at Detroit, he finished 15th. However, Daly did manage to finish eighth at the Indianapolis 500, which is known for his strong run.
Daly had initially joined forces with Carpenter’s team in 2020 before securing a full-time opportunity in 2021. He finished sixth in last year’s Indy 500 with the team and took fifth in the Indy GP on the road course that season. Daly also scored a remarkable pole position with Carlin at Iowa in 2020 and has a best finish of second at Belle Isle in 2016, driving for Dale Coyne Racing.
Carpenter, the owner of the team, stated that this was the most difficult decision he had made as a team owner. He respects Daly and knows what he means to INDYCAR and its fans. However, the team has not been performing at the level they are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the offseason, 2023 has been extremely challenging. Carpenter realised that it is his obligation to the team’s employees, partners, and supporters to do whatever is necessary to elevate the team’s competitiveness.
Daly also released a statement about the split, expressing gratitude to Ed Carpenter Racing for the past three and a half seasons and everyone who has supported him, past, present, and into the future. He added that although they have mutually decided it’s in their best interests to take different paths, he looks forward to taking on the next opportunities that await.
Future Plans for Ed Carpenter Racing
Ed Carpenter Racing has not yet announced who will replace Daly for the upcoming event at Road America. However, a further statement from the team confirmed that information regarding the driver of the No. 20 Bitnile.com Chevrolet will be released in due course.
Despite the split, Daly remains a popular driver in INDYCAR, with a large following of fans who are sure to miss seeing him race with Ed Carpenter Racing. Daly’s future plans are currently unknown, but it is clear that he will be looking to secure a full-time ride with another team in the near future. As for Ed Carpenter Racing, they will be looking to bounce back from a challenging 2023 season and elevate their competitiveness in the upcoming races.
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