Ed Carpenter Racing said Wednesday that it has ended its relationship with driver Conor Daly effective immediately and will announce a new driver for the No. 20 Chevrolet for the upcoming IndyCar race.
Daly has been working with ECR since 2020, but didn’t race a full season with the team until last year when he brought sponsor BitNile to the team. BitNile has supported Daly and sponsored him in the Daytona 500 this year.
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Conor Daly, driver of the #20 BitNile Chevrolet, poses before the NTT IndyCar GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
«This is the most difficult decision I’ve ever made as a team owner because I respect Conor and know what he means to IndyCar and his fans,» Carpenter said of the 31-year-old Indianapolis native.
«Our team has not performed to the level that we are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the offseason, 2023 has been extremely challenging,» Carpenter continued. «I have carefully considered the current state of our team and realize that it is my obligation to our employees, partners and supporters to do whatever it takes to elevate the competitiveness of our team.»
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Conor Daly, driver of the #20 BitNile Chevrolet, drives during the NTT IndyCar GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Daly sits 20th in the standings after Sunday’s 15th in Detroit. His best finish this season was eighth in the Indianapolis 500 last month.
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Conor Daly signs autographs at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 14, 2023 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
«While we mutually decided that it’s in our best interest to go our separate ways, I’d like to thank ECR for the past three and a half seasons,» Daly said. «I am grateful to everyone who has supported me, past, present and future. I look forward to the next opportunities that lie ahead and I want to thank the fans for being with me on this journey.»