Conor Daly Bio
Conor James Daly (born December 15, 1991) is an American-Irish professional racing driver. He competes in the IndyCar Series driving the No. 76 Chevrolet for Juncos Hollinger Racing, while also making occasional starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. Over the course of his career, Daly has raced in a wide range of series, including GP2, GP3, the ARCA Menards Series, Nitrocross, and the Road to Indy ladder. He is the son of former Formula One, CART, and IMSA driver Derek Daly, giving him one of the most recognized racing surnames in American motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Conor James Daly was born on December 15, 1991, in Noblesville, Indiana, in the United States. He holds American and Irish citizenship, reflecting the international background of his family. His father, Derek Daly, competed at the highest levels of the sport, including Formula One, CART, and IMSA, exposing Conor to racing environments from an early age. The family home in Indiana and his father’s career laid the foundation for Conor’s interest in motorsport.
At the age of ten, Daly began competing in karting, and in 2006 he won the World Karting Association Grand Nationals. He progressed to car racing in 2007 and began racing cars full-time in 2008 in the Skip Barber National Championship, where he claimed first place with five wins in fourteen races, alongside competing in Formula Ford events. On October 10, 2010, he finished runner-up at the RoboPong 200 all-star kart event at New Castle Motorsports Park with teammate Graham Rahal.
Path to NASCAR
Daly’s path to NASCAR began in 2018 when he announced his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Road America, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing with sponsorship from Eli Lilly and Company. The deal was built around the fact that Daly and his Roush teammate Ryan Reed are both Type 1 diabetics. In 2020, he joined Niece Motorsports to make his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the No. 42 truck, finishing eighteenth. He returned to Niece Motorsports in 2021 for the February Las Vegas race, this time in the No. 44 entry.
In September 2022, Daly announced that he would make his NASCAR Cup Series debut for The Money Team Racing at the fall Charlotte race. On December 5, 2022, the team’s co-owner confirmed that Daly would return part-time in the Cup Series in 2023, driving the No. 50 car. Daly made the 2023 Daytona 500 starting lineup after finishing seventeenth in Duel 2 of the Bluegreen Vacations Duels. He became the 62nd driver to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, and he finished 29th out of 40 cars in the race.
Conor Daly Career
Early Career (2008-2012)
Daly began his car racing career in 2008 in the Skip Barber National Championship, capturing the title with five wins in fourteen races. In 2009, he moved to the Star Mazda Championship with Andersen Racing, finishing third in points with a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park. He returned to Star Mazda in 2010 with Juncos Hollinger Racing, and became series champion after finishing in the top four in all twelve races, clinching the title at Mosport International Raceway on August 28, 2010. Along the way, he set series records with nine poles and seven wins.
In 2011, Daly competed part-time in Indy Lights with Sam Schmidt Motorsports, earning a win at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. He also raced in GP3 with Carlin Motorsport that year. For 2012, he continued in GP3 with Lotus GP, taking his maiden GP3 win in the second race of the season at Barcelona. In May 2012, he performed a straight-line aero test for the Force India Formula One team at Cotswold Airport in England.
GP2 and GP3 Breakthrough (2013-2014)
Daly competed in the 2013 GP2 Series season-opener at Sepang International Circuit with Hilmer Motorsport, finishing seventh in the sprint race and scoring two championship points. He returned to GP3 in 2013 with ART Grand Prix, capturing one win at the Valencia Street Circuit feature race and finishing third in the championship. He also won the 2012-13 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship in India, claiming four wins and two further podiums. In 2013, he made a one-off Indy Lights appearance at Houston for Team Moore Racing, finishing third, and drove the 2013 Indianapolis 500 for A. J. Foyt Enterprises, where he finished 22nd.
For 2014, Daly competed in eighteen of the 22 GP2 Series rounds with Venezuela GP Lazarus, recording a best finish of seventh place in the sprint race at the Hungaroring. He also returned to the Indianapolis 500 that year, continuing to build experience on ovals while balancing international open-wheel commitments.
IndyCar Progression (2015-2019)
In 2015, Daly substituted for Rocky Moran Jr. at the Long Beach Grand Prix with Dale Coyne Racing. He then drove the Smithfield Foods “Fueled by Bacon” entry at the Indianapolis 500 for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, but retired before the green flag due to a mechanical failure. He replaced the injured James Hinchcliffe for three rounds, finishing sixth at the second Detroit race. In 2016, Daly raced a full IndyCar season for Dale Coyne Racing, leading 56 laps across five races and earning his first career IndyCar podium with a second-place finish in the first Detroit race. In 2017, he drove the No. 4 car for A. J. Foyt Enterprises, and in 2018, he ran the Indianapolis 500 for Dale Coyne Racing/Thom Burns Racing with United States Air Force sponsorship. In 2019, Andretti Autosport signed him for the Indianapolis 500, where he finished tenth, and he added several oval events with Carlin and a Portland round replacing Marcus Ericsson.
Juncos Hollinger Racing Era (2024-Present)
Daly ran the No. 24 entry for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing with Cusick Motorsports at the 2024 Indianapolis 500. After starting 29th, he finished tenth on an alternate pit strategy, led 22 of 200 laps, and was the race’s biggest mover, gaining nineteen positions. Later that season, after substituting for Jack Harvey at Dale Coyne Racing in the second Iowa race, he was announced as Agustin Canapino’s replacement at Juncos Hollinger Racing for the remainder of 2024. He earned his second career IndyCar podium and the first for Juncos Hollinger Racing at the first Milwaukee Mile race on August 31, 2024, finishing third.
On December 18, 2024, Juncos Hollinger Racing announced that Daly would compete full-time for the team during the 2025 IndyCar Series. He initially drove the No. 78 he ran at the end of 2024, before switching to the No. 76 with gas station brand 76 joining as sponsor.
Notable Races and Milestones
Daly’s signature achievements include his 2010 Star Mazda Championship, his first IndyCar podium at Detroit in 2016, leading the most laps at the 2021 Indianapolis 500, and earning a hard-fought third-place finish at the Milwaukee Mile in 2024. He is also recognized as the 62nd driver to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.
Conor Daly Career Wins
Across open-wheel and stock car competition, Conor Daly has accumulated victories in karting, Star Mazda, Indy Lights, GP3, and the MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship. He also scored podium finishes in the IndyCar Series, including a second place at Detroit in 2016 and a third place at the Milwaukee Mile in 2024.
Star Mazda and Indy Lights Highlights
Daly captured the 2010 Star Mazda Championship with Juncos Hollinger Racing, setting series records for poles and wins. His lone Indy Lights victory came at the Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2011 with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
Conor Daly Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Daly is the son of Derek Daly, a former Formula One, CART, and IMSA driver. He is also the stepson of Doug Boles, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His first cousin, Nicola Daly, is an Ireland women’s field hockey international who won a silver medal at the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup and works as a data engineer for Juncos Racing.
Personal Life
Daly was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 14. His health journey has been a central part of his public profile, and he was sponsored by Lilly Diabetes for the 2016 and 2018 Indianapolis 500s. Outside of racing, Daly appeared on the 30th season of The Amazing Race, teaming with fellow IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi, where they finished in fourth place.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 IndyCar Series marks Conor Daly’s first full-time campaign with Juncos Hollinger Racing. Driving the No. 76 Chevrolet, supported by the 76 gas station brand, Daly anchors a young team that is working to build consistency across both road and street courses and ovals. His 2024 late-season podium at Milwaukee suggests real momentum heading into the new year, and the team has built around his feedback and experience to develop the program.
With a career that now spans karts, single-seaters, and stock cars, Daly brings versatility and veteran race craft to Juncos Hollinger Racing. The 2025 season is an opportunity for him to convert his occasional flashes of pace into regular top-ten results and to chase his first career IndyCar victory. If the team continues its development curve, Daly could play a meaningful role in the 2025 championship fight.
