Ed Carpenter Racing, Conor Daly Part Ways as Midpoint of 2023 Season Nears

By David Morgan, Associate Editor

Since 2020, Ed Carpenter Racing has been Conor Daly’s home, driving the No. 20 Chevrolet, but on Wednesday, it was announced that the team and driver have mutually agreed to go their separate ways.

The move comes amid a season in which Daly and his team have struggled with performance, only banking one top-10 finish in the first seven races of the year with an eighth-place finish in the 107^th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Daly first came on board at ECR running the road and street courses, as well as the Indy 500, in 2020 and 2021 before moving to full-time status in 2022 and 2023.

After the conclusion of last Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, where Daly finished 15^th, the Noblesville, Indiana native sits 20^th in the NTT IndyCar Series points standings.

“This is the most difficult decision I have made as a team owner because I respect Conor and know what he means to INDYCAR and its fans,” said team owner Ed Carpenter. “Our team has not been performing at the level we are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the offseason, 2023 has been extremely challenging.

“I have put a great deal of consideration into the current state of our team and realize it is my obligation to our employees, partners, and supporters to do whatever is necessary to elevate our team’s competitiveness. We sincerely wish Conor continued success and will cheer him on wherever he goes next.”

The team noted in its release that information regarding which driver will take Daly’s place, beginning with the upcoming race at Road America on June 18, will be forthcoming in the days ahead.

As for Daly, after having a steady home for the last three and a half years, he’ll be on the hunt once again for a new place to settle to finish out the 2023 season.

“Although we’ve mutually decided that it’s in our best interests to take different paths, I’d like to thank ECR for the past three and a half seasons,” said Daly.

“I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me – past, present and into the future. I look forward to taking on the next opportunities that await, and I want to thank the fans for being with me on this ride.”