Daly Lands Three Truck Races With Niece Motorsports
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Conor Daly (Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment photo)
SALISBURY, N.C. – Conor Daly, a veteran of the NTT IndyCar Series, has inked a deal to return to Niece Motorsports for three upcoming races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Daly, 32, will drive the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST in races at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 19, Kansas Speedway on Sept. 27, and Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Oct. 26.
A native Hoosier from Noblesville, Ind., as well as the stepson of Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, Daly has competed in premier motorsports events including the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, and the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but has enjoyed various sojourns into stock car racing recently.
He’s made eight NASCAR starts across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series dating back to 2018, including three races with Niece Motorsports over the past four years.
Daly, who has made 108 career Indy car starts and 11 Indy 500 appearances, tied his career-best Truck Series mark of 18th in last July’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“I couldn’t be more excited to get back into a truck with Niece Motorsports,” said Daly. “Al Niece and Cody Efaw have always been great to me and supportive of my Indy 500 efforts as well over the years as we’ve gotten to know each other. We’ve been working on putting a program together for a while, and I’m happy we could finally work out the details to go racing together once again.
“I have a lot to learn, but I want to compete, and I know these guys will give me a great chance at that.”
Power Plus, a nationwide provider of specialty electrical- and power-related services, including generator service, maintenance and installation, temporary power, designed video surveillance, and generator rental and disaster response services, will be Daly’s primary sponsor at Lucas Oil Raceway.
Daly has one prior appearance at the .686-mile paved oval “across town” in Indianapolis, when he raced a USF Pro 2000 car (then known as Star Mazda) in his championship season in 2010.
“I am extremely thankful to have some great partners in Power Plus to make this happen,” added Daly. “Everyone from Power Plus have been super willing to help out when I need it most and I love representing for them.”
“Power Plus is thrilled to be partnering once again with Conor Daly, this time in the NASCAR Truck Series,” said Steve Bray, founder and CEO of Power Plus. “One of the things we love about Conor is his enthusiasm, tenacity and passion for winning, both on and off the track. Whether it was in P1 Boat races, in dirt racing side-by-sides, or at the Indy 500, Conor exemplifies what it means to be a fierce competitor. We appreciate Conor’s perseverance and humility, and we are proud to be associated with his winning attitude and his man-of-the-people persona.”
This year is the first time Daly will contest multiple Truck Series races in the same season. It will also mark Niece Motorsports’ return to fielding four entries in select events as well, with Daly joining the full-time Nos. 41, 42, and 45 teams.
“Conor has been great to work with every time he’s stepped into one of our trucks,” said Niece Motorsports general manager Cody Efaw. “It’s been fun to see his interest in NASCAR grow since he made his first start with our team at Las Vegas [Motor Speedway] a few years ago. Now that we have him secured for multiple races this year, I think that will give him a chance to go out there and learn each week to get better for his upcoming starts.”
Daly’s most recent stock car start was an eighth-place finish in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Mid-Ohio in June. His Indy 500 attempt with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with Cusick Motorsports resulted in 22 laps led and his fourth career top-10 finish in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, ending that day 10th.
He’ll work with veteran crew chief Wally Rogers in all three of his Truck Series races this year.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season continues at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway Friday with the running of the CRC Brakleen 175 at the 2.5-mile ‘Tricky Triangle’.