This weekend, part-time NASCAR and full-time IndyCar driver Conor Daly will do something that no one has ever done in motorsports. The 31-year-old driver is set to take on the “Texas Two-Step.” Racing back-to-back weekends in Texas from NASCAR to IndyCar.
Last Sunday, Conor Daly made another Cup start. His race at COTA ended with a DNF after some hard racing on the restarts. However, it was another valuable experience for Daly. Now, with his eyes set on the PPG 375 at Texas Motor Speedway, he’s closer to pulling off this historic feat.
Ahead of the PPG 375, I spoke with Conor about the challenges he faces.
“We’re not expected to go there [NASCAR] and win. We’re there to learn and to get better and try to have the best day possible,” Daly said. “Texas Motor Speedway and IndyCar we want to go there to win. We’re not there to suck. We want to go there to be good. It’s a track that I love it’s a track that I’ve been close to being on the podium before. Definitely want to do that. It’s so wildly different. You know I think the average lap speed at COTA was 98 MPH and our average speed at Texas is 225 [MPH] for qualifying.”
There is still nothing like racing to get you ready to race. IndyCar has been on a month hiatus between races, something Conor Daly wants to see fixed. But until then, he’ll get ready however he can.
Conor Daly Getting Mind and Body Ready
Athletes do a lot of different things to get right for competition. Of course, workouts and practices and simulation time all go into the final product. However, there is nothing that you can do in practice that will ever replicate the feeling of the real thing.
Even though the IndyCar schedule is thin this time of year, Conor Daly wants to be ready. He wants to know that his body can handle a 300+ mile race and come out on the other side of it just fine.
His race at COTA helped him get into that mentality.
“For me getting my body into race mode already last weekend, I think helps the mind. It helps you physically to get another sweat in, to get your body working in race mode again. I think that will help, for sure for Texas this weekend.”
Back in 2020, Conor Daly finished P6 at Texas Motor Speedway while driving for Carlin. Now with Ed Carpenter Racing, Daly is hoping that he can get closer to a podium finish this year. Last season, Daly finished P18. At the very least he will try to improve upon that result as he completes the Texas Two-Step this weekend.
