Daly thinks the BC39 dirt will improve the oval skill in INDYCAR

Less than a week after finishing 11th on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix, Conor Daly is back in the world’s racing capital to compete in the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink USAC Midget National Championship.

Daly will drive No. 47D at a two-night event, Wednesday and Thursday, on The Dirt Track at IMS, located within the famous 2.5-mile oval turn 3. Daly is not a regular on the USAC Midget tour, but he is a regular on IMS. NTT INDYCAR SERIES veteran Daly said that whenever he has a chance to race on Speedway, he jumps for the opportunity. He has competed in all three BC39 events since making his debut in 2018 at IMS.

“I think any competition at IMS, you’re going to look back on in life and think,‘ I’m glad I did it, ’” Daly said. “If Travis Pastrana has taught me something in my life, during my short time of doing things, it always has to say yes to things. So I love this. I love racing. “

Daly said he enjoys continuing to socialize with NASCAR drivers after the INDYCAR-NASCAR triple-header last weekend at IMS, which featured the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Four days ago, Daly shared a racetrack with his car racing partners, but not the Garage. It’s different now. Daly parked alongside defensive NASCAR Cup champion Chase Elliott and NASCAR Cup rookie as well as Hoosier Chase Briscoe alongside.

“It’s a really great opportunity to be here with these NASCAR buddies and the guys I’ve watched on TV before,” he said. “It’s great.”

The black car Daly drives on Wednesday and Thursday nights at IMS is vastly different from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES car he drives from week to week, and Daly said the simple fact that it’s a different racing car is one of the biggest challenges competes in Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink.

Dalyn also needs to adapt his driving style more to the race track than to the small, efficient racing cars he competes on. Dirt track racing is known to be challenging due to the ever-changing conditions of the race track. He knows that the career he takes on hot laps is drastically different from the career he feels during heat races, and only the best can adjust.

“I just want to be better than last,” he said. “I don’t know where I was, but if we get at least a decent warmth and look at where we end up when it comes to the main races. Implementing the main event is difficult. There are a lot of really good guys here, but who knows? “

Daly may not blow up the field this week on the dirt, but he suspects he will be strong when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES leaves for the World Wide Technology Raceway for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 this Saturday (8pm ET, live on NBCSN).

It’s the last oval race of the season, with Daly driving No. 59 Carlin Chevrolet as his usual seat on road and street courses, U.S. Air Force No. 20 Chevrolet, driven by team boss Ed Carpenter.

Daly already feels confident about this weekend’s race with a 1.25-mile oval just outside St. Louis, as he believes oval racing is best for him right now.

He also believes that contaminating Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink can give him an advantage. NASCAR drivers are known for running dirt races to help them prepare for races. Normally, you wouldn’t think the dirt would go to a high-speed open-wheel drive series with cars with a lot more compressive power than the USAC Midgets, but Daly is asking for a difference.

“I would say that ever since I started competing in midge, I’ve been getting better at ovals,” Daly said. “I think ovals are my strength right now, and I’m going to try to learn as much as I can.”

Daly deserves to be optimistic one day on Saturday. He has never finished in the top ten in four starts in the World Wide Technology Raceway, the best place in the Fifth in 2017 and the worst in the tenth place in the 2020 Race 1. Iowa in Car No. 59.