Ryan Hunter-Reay, the 2012 series champion and 2014 Indy 500 winner, will replace Conor Daly in the #20 ECR-Chevrolet entry from Road America this weekend. Daly lost his ride after the first seven races of 2023 as the team sought a change of direction and improved results. Hunter-Reay’s only IndyCar start in the past two seasons was at May’s Indianapolis 500, where he finished 11th in a one-off for Dreyer and Reinbold. However, he remained in the paddock as an advisor to the Juncos Hollinger Racing squad and was on-call to replace Alex Palou at Chip Ganassi Racing if the legal battle over his services with McLaren had escalated last year.

Hunter-Reay’s Viewpoint on the Situation

Hunter-Reay acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and empathized with Conor Daly, saying, “Bottom line is [it’s a] tough situation, especially mid-season, and I feel for Conor. I’ve been on either end of that deal, and in some cases numerous times. Big fan of his, and hopefully he’ll be back in the IndyCar Series soon where he belongs no doubt.” Hunter-Reay also shared his experience of being dropped from a team and advised Daly to keep believing in his driving ability and potential.

Hunter-Reay’s Approach to Replacing a Friend

Hunter-Reay confirmed that he has yet to speak to Daly and recognizes that the situation is personal. He says that he wants to approach the situation in the right way and allow for some healing time. He shared his own experience when he was cut from the Rocketsports Champ Car squad towards the end of the 2005 season and emphasized the importance of keeping confidence in oneself and being persistent. Daly will instead race in the Nitrocross opener in Oklahoma this weekend in a Dreyer and Reinbold-run car.

Ryan Hunter-Reay will replace Conor Daly in the #20 ECR-Chevrolet entry from Road America this weekend. Although Hunter-Reay has remained in the paddock as an advisor to the Juncos Hollinger Racing squad, his only IndyCar start in the past two seasons was at May’s Indianapolis 500. Hunter-Reay empathizes with Daly and recognizes the difficulty of the situation. He advises Daly to keep believing in his driving ability and potential and shares his own experience of being dropped from a team. Hunter-Reay has yet to speak to Daly and intends to approach the situation in the right way.

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