IndyCar: Why Conor Daly deserves a full-time ride in 2018

By Asher Fair | Jan 12, 2018

AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 29: Conor Daly, driver of the #4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet walks to driver introductions before the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 29, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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SONOMA, CA – SEPTEMBER 17: Conor Daly of the United States driver of the #4 ABC Supply Chevrolet (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

2017 season

After a 2016 season filled with success for Daly, he landed a ride with A.J. Foyt Enterprises in the 2017 season, as Sebastien Bourdais returned to Dale Coyne Racing for the first time since the 2011 season to replace Daly.

However, A.J. Foyt Enterprises were in the midst of rebuilding. Their driver lineup, which included Daly and Carlos Munoz, was completely different from what it was in the 2016 season when it included Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth. The team had also just switched to Chevrolet engines and aero kits for the first time after a long stint with Honda.

Needless to say, the team’s equipment was not up to standard with much of the rest of the field’s equipment, and their two drivers were rarely competitive as a result of it.

While Daly matched his 2016 finish of 18th place in the championship standings, he did so as one of 18 full-time drivers, essentially giving him a last-place finish in the standings. He collected just four top 10 finishes, and only one was a top 6 finish, that being a 5th place finish at Gateway.