Conor Daly makes his return to NASCAR this weekend in Indianapolis. This continues a unique month in which the veteran driver attempted his first backflip with Travis Pastrana, replaced another driver in IndyCar, and then tested a BMW GT3 race car.
This schedule, which also included Nitrocross races, is not normal. However, it is one the driver-podcaster prefers.
"You're only here for a good time, not a long time, so you might as well try to get everything out of it," Daly said in response to a question from AltDriver on Tuesday. "I just love doing fun stuff, love racing."
Make no mistake, however, this attitude of focusing on a good time is not the only thing driving Daly. He doesn't want to show up at a big event and get in a car just to say that he did. Riding around in the back of the pack is not how he wants to spend his time.
Yes, he will still have a good time getting to compete in these unique events, but it will be in pursuit of a larger goal.
"My goal is to make myself attractive by the end of the weekend," Daly said. "Like, 'Hey, this guy did a good job in something that he doesn't know about.' You know what I mean? And I'd like to do more.
"I want to be a full-time racing driver somewhere in the world, right? Like this race-by-race thing is definitely not what you want to do as a competitive athlete. You want to be full-time in something, dedicated to something."
This love of racing will lead to a reunion with Niece Motorsports on Friday evening at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. This will be Daly's fourth career Truck Series start, and it will take place at a track where he has some familiarity.
"I want to get all the laps in," Daly said about his Truck return. "I want to not end up in some sort of a disaster. But I love IRP. I've won at IRP."
The schedule will continue on Saturday afternoon as Daly makes his first start for Sam Hunt Racing. He will compete in his first Xfinity race on an oval track, albeit one where he has made 11 Indy 500 starts.
Daly doesn't expect to show up at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and immediately contend for a top-10 finish in the Xfinity Series car. He will have to be patient early as he continues to learn, and he will have to avoid incidents on the track.
Daly knows there will be a learning curve as he makes pit stops without a speed limiter and as he deals with how dirty air affects the Toyota GR Supra. However, he will be able to take the experience gained during practice and pair it with his almost innate knowledge of the 2.5-mile oval.
"I think the visual references, I think every bump in the track is something that I know in my soul because I've done so many laps there," Daly said.
"So you kind of know where the grip is and when it is and then how much of the track you can use. I do think a lot of that information will translate."