Conor Daly has successful “first step” in NASCAR Xfinity practice at Indy

After spending the past three years on the IMS road course, NASCAR has returned to the 2.5-mile oval course layout this year, the 30th anniversary of the first Brickyard 400.

Daly, a 32-year-old Indiana native, is set to make his third series start this weekend with Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 26 Toyota but his first at his home track.

Several teams – including Daly’s – elected to make mock qualifying runs late in Friday’s 50-minute practice session and Daly ended up third fastest, behind series regulars Chandler Smith and Parker Kligerman.

“I’m unfamiliar with limits of the tire, right. I don’t know if I really stuck it in the corner, what it would do, so when we did a mock (qualifying) run, that was a really good feel for me of what is the grip potential,” Daly said.

“That was it. That was definitely the first step. When I got in (to the garage), I wished I could do another one right away. The car right now is really nice.”

Daly said what he appreciated most we the longer practice session on Friday. Typical NASCAR weekends feature 20-minute group sessions for the Xfinity and Cup series.

“It seems like every time I’ve done one of these in the stock car, it’s been like, ‘We’ll just see how it is in the race.’ And you’re like, ‘OK, cool.’ It’s fun to learn.”

Double Duty

Daly is actually pulling double duty this weekend, driving in Friday night’s Truck race at Indianapolis Raceway Park for Niece Motorsports, part of a three-race deal.

Earlier this year, he made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and finished eighth.

Daly is very familiar with the IMS oval. He has made 11 IndyCar starts in the Indianapolis 500 with four top-10 finishes. In the 2021 event, he led the most laps but finished 13th due to damage.

He is also one of 29 drivers to have competed in the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 in the same year (2023).

“When I heard the NASCAR Xfinity Series was returning to the oval at Indianapolis, I knew I had to be part of it,” Daly said. “Driving at my home track in front of my hometown fans is an incredible honor and an opportunity I could not let pass.”

Smith led the session with an average lap speed of 166.756 mph, followed by Parker Kligerman (166.571 mph) and Daly (164.995 mph). Brandon Jones and Riley Herbst rounded out the top five.