IndyCar veteran Conor Daly will drive the No. 78 car for Juncos Hollinger Racing for the remainder of the season, beginning with this weekend's race at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, the team announced Wednesday.
Daly is taking over for Agustin Canapino, who parted ways with the team last week after a series of social media firestorms.
“I am extremely pleased to reunite with (team co-owner) Ricardo Juncos after our success together in the Road to Indy,” Daly said, referring to the IndyCar feeder system. “Ricardo took a chance on me when I was young and it made a huge difference in my career. There are a lot of people on this team that I’ve worked with before and that gives me a lot of confidence.”
Canapino stepped away from Juncos Hollinger Racing in June before a race at Road America after disputing claims that rival driver Théo Pourchaire of Arrow McLaren Racing had received online death threats from Canapino's fans following an on-track incident between the two. Arrow McLaren wound up severing its technical and marketing relationship with the team.
Another driver, former Juncos Hollinger teammate Callum Ilott, has said Canapino’s passionate fan base had made threatening comments last season. Ilott said he felt he never received support from the team and was released at the end of last season.
Meanwhile, Canapino's performance also had been on a downward spiral. A string of five consecutive finishes of 18th or worse had dropped him to 23rd in the standings, and in danger of falling out of the top 22 of the $1 million Leaders Circle.
Daly will be driving for his third team this season. He drove from 29th to 10th in the Indianapolis 500 in an entry for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, and he replaced the injured Jack Harvey for Dale Coyne Racing for a race at Iowa in July.
Daly will work with Juncos Hollinger teammate Romain Grosjean for the remainder of the season.
“Having Conor Daly back in a JHR car after many years is like a flashback to some great memories," Juncos said. “We achieved a lot together. Now it’s time to focus on what’s ahead and aim for strong results for the rest of the NTT IndyCar Series season."
In other news, Katherine Legge will be back in the No. 51 car for Dale Coyne Racing for Saturday night's race near St. Louis.
Legge was in the car for the Indianapolis 500 and the doubleheader at Iowa, and now will continue with the ovals on the IndyCar schedule when she goes to World Wide Technology Raceway to drive alongside teammate Jack Harvey.
“Katherine has done a good job for us this year on the ovals and we’re happy to have her back this weekend in the 51 car,” team owner Dale Coyne said. “We’ve had success at that oval track in the past, so we look forward to seeing what Katherine and Jack will do this weekend.”
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
FILE - Conor Daly walks to driver introductions before an IndyCar auto race, Sunday, July 14, 2024, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Three weeks ago, Matthew Baldwin was laughing at himself for mishitting a drive so badly that the ball went between his legs and advanced just one yard in front of the tee markers.
On Friday, the No. 363-ranked journeyman from England was the second-round clubhouse leader by three strokes at the flagship event on the European tour and preparing himself for the biggest weekend of his career.
Baldwin shot 6-under 66 to set an unexpectedly hot pace at the BMW PGA Championship at 13 under, which tied the prestigious tournament’s 36-hole record. Many of Europe's top players, including Rory McIlroy, were having a hard time getting near him.
It's quite the story, with Baldwin having gone through the tour’s qualifying school six times in a turbulent career that, just two years ago, saw him playing on the Challenge Tour — the level below the European tour — and ranked just inside the top 850 in the world. He was back on the main tour last year when he earned his only pro win, at the SDC Championship in South Africa.
This year has been a challenge at times, missing four straight cuts across June and July before finding some form. There was a tie for 12th at the Czech Masters in August and then a tie for 18th at the British Masters — where he experienced that embarrassing incident off the tee.
Asked what he had learned through the tough times of his career, Baldwin said: "That there are more important things in life, I guess.
“At the end of the day, we are all here trying our hardest. At times, my hardest wasn’t good enough. Now I'm in a good place, mentally and physically, and enjoying what I'm doing.”
Baldwin built on his overnight one-shot lead, following a first-round 65, by making seven birdies — including five in six holes from No. 3 — to go along with a dropped shot at No. 11. That is his only bogey so far this week.
“Just playing sensible golf, really,” the 38-year-old Baldwin said of his strategy this week. “I’m trying not to hit it too close, which obviously then forces you — sometimes you can get short-sided and things like that.
“I’ve been putting really well, which has kept momentum going.”
Antoine Rozner of France was the closest challenger to Baldwin after making birdie on each of the final five holes on the West Course to complete a bogey-free 65.
The No. 199-ranked Rozner was alone on 10 under midway through the second round, which experienced a delay of nearly 80 minutes around lunchtime because of thunder and lightning.
“To be very honest with you, I’ve been struggling a little bit with my game,” Rozner said, “so this type of round today was very good.”
Billy Horschel, the 2021 champion, shot 69 and was five strokes behind Baldwin. Tommy Fleetwood (68) was a further shot back.
The No. 3-ranked McIlroy was among the afternoon starters following a first-round 67.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Billy Horschel of the U.S. tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
England's Aaron Rai tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
England's Marcus Armitage tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
Mark Hubbard of the United States chips out of a bunker on the 1st during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen plays from the 1st fairway during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
England's Matthew Baldwin looks on during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
England's Matthew Baldwin tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
