Conor Daly will make another IndyCar comeback at the Gateway oval next week by replacing Jack Harvey at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Harvey has raced full-time in IndyCar since 2020, after getting his first podium in 2019, and has been driving for RLLR since the start of the 2022 season. He only got one top-ten finish last year and came 22nd in the standings, and this year currently sits in the same position with 13th place being his best race result.He will now vacate his seat for the rest of the season, but the Briton does not want to be out of IndyCar for long.
“It’s no secret that my time at RLLR didn’t go as planned. It was not through a lack of effort. I leave confident that I put my everything into every moment as a member of the team,” Harvey said.
“I am thankful for the time and effort that every crew member put in over the last two years. This has been challenging for everyone involved. I love my crew and their unwavering support.
“Only time will tell what the future holds. I am more motivated than ever to find a new home in IndyCar to showcase what I am capable of doing behind the wheel of a race car. We are not defined by our failures but rather how we respond to them. This is just one chapter in my story and I look forward to writing the next.”
RLLR’s co-owner Bobby Rahal added “I would like to thank Jack Harvey for all of his efforts on behalf of RLLR for the last year-and-a-half. He committed fully to the team but for whatever reason, we weren’t able to achieve the results that he or the team deserves and we wish him well in the future.”
Daly has been confirmed as Harvey’s replacement for one race, with two more events following that on the 2023 schedule.
He too has split with a team this year, having started off with Ed Carpenter Racing. They dropped him seven races into his second season with them, despite finishing eighth in the Indianapolis 500.
Daly missed one round before returning to the grid as a substitute for the injured Simon Pagenaud at Meyer Shank Racing for the race at Mid-Ohio, then was called up by them again to compete in the double-header at Iowa Speedway.
“It means a lot to have a chance to drive for the RLLR team. I’ve known Bobby ever since I was a child, our families are very close. Mike Lanigan is someone that has known my dad for a long time, and I’ve known him well too. And David Letterman is a friend of our family as well so it’s very special to have the chance to drive for this organisation,” said Daly.
“I will obviously do the best job that I can for them to make them proud and make their partners proud and I hope to be able to deliver everything they are looking for.”
His move to RLLR rules him out of subbing again for Pagenaud, who is not yet cleared to return to racing. Linus Lundqvist has driven his car the last two races.
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asd
16th August 2023, 11:44
Daly is IndyCar’s journeyman of the year! He’s a token replacement driver.
Radoye
17th August 2023, 14:45
Daly super-sub :)
Funny thing is, Daly’s average finishing position this year is actually better than Hunter-Reay’s, who replaced Daly at his full time ride with ECR because of Daly’s apparent lack of performance…
MPH
17th August 2023, 23:38
When are they going to replace Rajan?
MPH (@mhaynes652)
17th August 2023, 23:41
Meant Rahal?