Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) announces today that Conor Daly will pilot the No. 26 Polkadot GR Supra at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 20th as the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to the oval track at the Brickyard. The Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts will mark Daly’s third career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and first at his hometown track. Polkadot, who most recently sponsored Daly’s Indianapolis 500 efforts, will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 26 GR Supra throughout the event weekend.
“It’s always extremely exciting for me to have drivers cross over into NASCAR from other professional genres of motorsports,” said Sam Hunt, Owner of Sam Hunt Racing. “Conor is a journeyman racer, a hometown favorite at Indianapolis, and a guy who understands how the sport works from top to bottom. For us to be able to provide him with a competitive opportunity in the NASCAR Xfinity Series is a pleasure, and one I know everyone is excited about. The challenge will be tall, and there is so much to learn in such a short amount of time – but Conor and the team at Sam Hunt Racing are excited to tackle it with open minds at full speed. We’re all grateful to have Polkadot on board for a special weekend and look forward to introducing another great brand to the Sam Hunt Racing family.”
Conor Daly is a multi-disciplined racer who has much experience in open-wheel racing, primarily in the IndyCar series. The 32-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana native is a GP3 and Indy Lights winner as well as a Formula 2000 champion. Daly made his IndyCar debut in 2013 and has participated in 11 Indianapolis 500 races. Out of 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, Daly has secured four top-10 finishes. In the 2021 event, Daly led the most laps of any driver of the race, but finished 13th due to damage.
In 2018, Daly made his NASCAR debut at Road America where he qualified 15th but a mechanical issue ended his debut early. He continued to add a handful of NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, but, in 2022, he finally made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Charlotte ROVAL. Additionally, Daly became the 29th driver in motorsport history to have raced in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 within the same year. Following a 17th-place finish in Duel 2 of the 2023 Daytona 500 qualifying races, he earned a spot in the 500-mile event at Daytona International Speedway. Later in the 2023 season, Daly would finish 8th in the Indianapolis 500.
When it was announced that the NASCAR Xfinity Series would return to the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2024, Daly circled the race on his calendar and was determined to get behind the wheel on the oval of his home track.
“I am extremely thankful for the chance to bring Polkadot back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, this time with Sam Hunt Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Conor Daly. “When I heard the NASCAR Xfinity Series was returning to the oval at Indianapolis, I knew I had to be part of it. Driving for Polkadot at my home track in front of my hometown fans is an incredible honor and an opportunity I could not let pass. I know an opportunity to drive for Toyota and SHR is extremely special, and I look forward to taking on this learning experience and delivering for this group as best I can. I am proud and lucky to represent Polkadot at IMS in both the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend in the same year.”
Daly’s representation of Polkadot in the Xfinity Series goes beyond the initial sponsorship agreement, highlighting his commitment to raising Polkadot’s profile as its Brand Ambassador. Chris Wade, the Polkadot community member who championed the first-of-its-kind proposal, expressed his enthusiasm for Conor’s Xfinity showing and the ongoing partnership.
“The Polkadot community is thrilled to continue this groundbreaking journey with Conor—the first time a major sports sponsorship was decided via a community-driven on-chain vote using blockchain technology,” Wade commented. “We extend a heartfelt thanks to Sam Hunt Racing for providing this incredible opportunity, which brings remarkable exposure to the Polkadot network through the prestigious NASCAR Xfinity Series. We are also grateful to Athelo Group and Conor for collaborating with Sam and his team to make this extraordinary opportunity a reality for Polkadot.”
The Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will take place on Saturday, July 20th at 3:30PM ET. Viewers
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