Conor Daly earns career-best NASCAR Truck finish in chaotic Kansas race

IndyCar veteran Conor Daly made his eighth career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start on Saturday. Before he returns to full-time IndyCar competition with Dreyer & Reinbold next year, he is enjoying a couple of appearances in the third level of NASCAR.

Daly went into the race with zero track time as practice and qualifying were canceled due to rain, but ended the day with his best finish yet in the NASCAR Truck Series. He was driving the No. 25 ‘free agent’ truck for the Kaulig Racing Ram team.

“Going straight to the race on a 1.5 mile oval is so wild as someone who doesn’t do this often it really pushes your mind and decision making to a very high level very quickly,” said Daly on social media during the mid-race rain delay, which lasted nearly five hours.

“Big time challenge. We’re quite loose but learning more every lap.”

Conor Daly, No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram; Patrick Eatmon, No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet; Mini Tyrrell, No. 14 Kaulig Racing Ram

Daly stayed out just before the rain hit, and was running as high as third before falling back to 13th when the lengthy rain delay hit. He was hoping to improve on his previous showing with Ram, as he finished 26th at IRP.

“Obviously I’m a novice here,” Daly told FOX Sports during the delay. “I was just chatting with my teammates and I was like, are you guys loose? Because I feel like I’ve been driving the rear off the track like crazy. We’re just learning, right? And I can’t thank this Ram Truck team enough and Kaulig because it’s so fun to get out there, restarting up at the front with the really, really quick guys.

“Obviously I’m in a little bit of the deep end but it’s the first time I’ve ever done that. So that was actually nice to learn and kind of see what it’s like up there. I’d like to get back out there because I think we kind of know the path of what we want to do adjustment wise, but yeah, I love truck racing. So, I’m pumped.”

Daly, who has made starts in all three national divisions of NASCAR — including the Daytona 500 — also said he’d love to run some more races with Kaulig and Ram.

“I basically show up to their front door every day, asking if I can do more,” said Daly. “But yeah, I’m very thankful to get this chance because I obviously didn’t get to race a ton this year. So can’t wait to get back in the IndyCar Series next year. This has been a lot of fun and I’m very, very thankful.”