With IndyCar Seemingly at a Dead End, Conor Daly Follows Will Power into Endurance Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Drum Up Sponsorship Early in the Season

Indianapolis, IN – As the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season draws to a close amid whispers of financial instability and uncertain futures for mid-tier teams, veteran driver Conor Daly is charting a bold new path. With his full-time ride at Juncos Hollinger Racing hanging by a thread due to persistent sponsorship shortfalls, Daly has pivoted to endurance racing, announcing his participation in the upcoming Indianapolis 8 Hour on October 18 at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In a move that echoes two-time series champion Will Power’s recent foray into sports car events, Daly aims to leverage the high-profile endurance format to attract new backers before the off-season “silly season” intensifies.

Daly, a 33-year-old Hoosier native and son of former Formula One and CART driver Derek Daly, has long been a fan favorite for his affable personality and never-say-die attitude on track. His 2025 campaign with Juncos Hollinger marked a return to full-time status after a patchwork 2024 that saw him bounce between teams, including a podium at Milwaukee with JHR. However, the season was marred by inconsistent results—his best being a ninth-place finish at the Sonsio Grand Prix on the IMS road course—and chronic funding woes that left the No. 76 Chevrolet often running with bare sidepods. JHR, a team known for punching above its weight despite limited resources, entered the year with high hopes after Daly’s late-2024 heroics, but early-season gaps in sponsorship forced the squad to scrape by on partial deals and personal outreach.

The catalyst for Daly’s endurance detour? A devastating blow from a potential $3.5 million blockchain sponsorship with Polkadot, the decentralized web platform that had backed him innovatively in prior years. In a groundbreaking 2024 deal, Polkadot’s community voted overwhelmingly—95.8% approval—to fund Daly’s Indianapolis 500 entry with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, marking the first athlete sponsorship decided via on-chain governance. That pink No. 24 livery not only turned heads but extended to NASCAR Trucks and Xfinity races, blending crypto’s futuristic ethos with Daly’s approachable vibe. Emboldened, Daly proposed a larger package for 2025, targeting eight primary races on the JHR car. But in a February vote, weighted against him by the platform’s mechanics, the deal fell short at 45% support despite more “yes” votes than “no.” Insiders say key stakeholders abstained without feedback, leaving Daly and JHR scrambling just weeks before the St. Petersburg opener.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s the reality of our sport,” Daly said in a recent interview, his voice carrying the mix of optimism and exhaustion that endears him to fans. “IndyCar is tough right now—great racing, but the funding model feels stuck in the past. We’ve got teams folding or merging, and without steady sponsors, even good drivers like me end up on the sidelines. This 8 Hour gig? It’s a chance to show up, race hard in a new format, and get in front of brands that might not look our way otherwise.”

Daly’s entry in the SRO GT World Challenge America’s Indianapolis 8 Hour comes courtesy of Random Vandals Racing, a boutique outfit fielding the No. 39 BMW M4 GT3 Evo in the Pro-Am class. He’ll share driving duties with factory ace Connor De Phillippi, a two-time IMSA champion, and GT specialist Kenton Koch. It’s a stacked lineup designed for podium contention on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course, where endurance stints demand strategy, reliability, and raw speed—skills Daly honed in IndyCar’s ovals and hybrids. Last year, Daly even served as a spotter for the event, getting an insider’s view of the Pirelli GT4 America support races and the main 8 Hour battle. “I was right there in the weeds, calling turns,” he posted on Instagram alongside helmeted shots of the gleaming BMW. “Now I’m jumping in the car. Race week once again. Finally. Let’s go.”

This isn’t just a one-off for Daly; it’s a calculated play in a series facing headwinds. IndyCar’s 2025 grid saw shakeups galore: Power’s shocking exit from Team Penske after 17 years to replace Colton Herta at Andretti Global, triggering David Malukas’ return to Penske and opening seats at AJ Foyt Racing. Rinus VeeKay bolted from Dale Coyne to join Sting Ray Robb at JHR, ironically displacing potential spots for Daly long-term. VeeKay’s old DCR seat went to Norwegian talent Dennis Hauger, while PREMA Racing’s twin Chevrolet entries promise fresh blood but underscore the capital influx smaller teams like JHR lack. With broadcast rights expiring post-2025 and rumors of cost-cutting edicts from new president Doug Boles, drivers without deep-pocketed support are eyeing diversification.

Power’s blueprint is instructive. The Australian, IndyCar’s 2018 and 2024 champ, dipped into endurance last month with a debut in the GT World Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway, piloting a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for 75 Express Racing alongside Kenny Habul and Chaz Mostert. That Pro-Am outing netted a solid top-five, but the real win was exposure: Power’s star power drew IMSA scouts and sponsors scouting crossover appeal. Now, he’s doubling down at the Indy 8 Hour in the No. 75 Mercedes, racing the same weekend as Daly. “Endurance is a different beast—teamwork over solo heroics—but it’s opened doors,” Power told reporters post-VIR. For Daly, following suit could mean landing a hybrid role in 2026: partial IndyCar with IMSA or SRO gigs to fill gaps.

Sponsorship remains the linchpin. JHR entered 2025 with unannounced deals Daly helped broker, including ampm’s convenience-store branding for the Indy 500, where he qualified 11th at 231.725 mph. But those were stopgaps; the Polkadot fumble exposed vulnerabilities. Crypto’s volatility aside, Daly’s charm—evident in his Speed Street podcast with Dale Earnhardt Jr.—positions him as a marketer’s dream. “Conor’s not just fast; he’s relatable,” says Athelo Group partner Chris Wade, who spearheaded the 2024 Polkadot vote. “Brands want that energy in a fragmented media world.”

As the Brickyard braces for a weekend of GT fury, Daly’s gamble feels emblematic of IndyCar’s crossroads. Will it yield a lifeline for 2026, perhaps reuniting him with JHR or luring him to a bigger fish? Or is it a sign of deeper malaise, pushing talents toward NASCAR stock cars or European GTs? For now, Daly’s focus is simple: strap in, turn laps, and let the results rev up the phones. In a sport where momentum is everything, this endurance pivot might just be the spark to keep his open-wheel dream alive.