Harding Racing announced today that Conor Daly will replace Gabby Chaves behind the wheel of the No. 88 Harding Group Chevrolet for the Honda Indy Toronto this weekend.
Team president Brian Barnhart added that Chaves remains under contract with Harding Racing through 2019. In its first full-time Verizon IndyCar Series season this year, Chaves’ best finish has been 14th place in two races – the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
“At this point in the season, we are focusing all our attention on the 2019 season,” Barnhart said. “If we can expand to a two-car team, all remaining races and testing will offer driver evaluation opportunities to determine who will become Gabby’s teammate in 2019. Gabby is still fully employed and still under contract with Harding for the remainder of this year and in 2019.”
HONDA INDY TORONTO: Entry list
The 2014 Indy Lights champion and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year, Chaves has driven in 37 Indy car races with a best overall finish of fifth with Harding Racing last year at Texas Motor Speedway. Chaves, a native of Bogota, Colombia, finished 21st Sunday at the Iowa Corn 300, a day after his 25th birthday.
Daly has made 40 career Verizon IndyCar Series starts, with a top finish of second place in the first race of the 2016 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader. The 26-year-old from Noblesville, Indiana, drove in May’s Indianapolis 500 for Dale Coyne Racing with Thom Burns Racing, finishing 21st.
Daly’s best finish in three previous Toronto races was 12th in 2015 when he filled in for the injured James Hinchcliffe.
There will be three Verizon IndyCar Series practice sessions on the streets of Exhibition Place – two on Friday (10:40 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. ET) and one Saturday (9:50 a.m.). All stream live on RaceControl.IndyCar.com, youtube.com/indycar and the INDYCAR Mobile app.
Verizon P1 Award knockout qualifying begins at 1:55 p.m. Saturday and streams on the same locations, with a same-day telecast at 5 p.m. on NBCSN. Live coverage of Sunday’s 85-lap race starts at 3 p.m. on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.
Rousseau Metal returns to sponsor Rahal in Toronto
Rousseau Metal, a leader in storage solutions, will be the primary sponsor of Graham Rahal’s No. 15 Honda for the fourth straight year at the Honda Indy Toronto, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced Monday. The team also announced an extension of Rousseau’s associate sponsorship through 2019.
Based in Quebec, Rousseau Metal has been an RLL partner since 2009. Rousseau cabinets are a mainstay in the team’s Indy car and sports car race shops and transporters.
“Rousseau has been a tremendous part of our team for many years and it is exciting to have the relationship extended through 2019,” said Bobby Rahal, RLL co-owner. “I have a long history with Rousseau, first with our auto dealership group and then with the race teams. It will be great to see Graham’s Indy car in Rousseau colors again in Toronto and to continue to represent their company through 2019 and hopefully for many more years to come.”
