Daly To Turn A Double With A 2011 F3 Program With Carlin, And Firestone Indy Lights With Sam Schmidt Motorsports

Indianapolis, Feb. 17, 2011: 2010 Star Mazda Champion Conor Daly will graduate to Firestone Indy Lights in 2011 with a limited campaign for the championship-winning Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

Daly, whose Firestone Indy Lights schedule will complement a schedule of racing in Europe's GP3 Series, will contest the road/street course events at St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Long Beach, Trois Rivieres and Baltimore.

"I'm extremely pleased to have all the plans worked out for 2011," said Daly, the son of former Indianapolis 500 starter Derek Daly. "It's taken a lot of work, and I'm extremely thankful to everyone at Mazda who spent a great deal of time making sure my program was in order. It really shows how dedicated Mazda is to their ladder drivers. With the significant changes to the ladder system in 2010, Mazda still stayed devoted to supporting their champions. I'm honored to have the support of Mazda for the 2011 season and beyond."

The 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., claimed the Star Mazda Championship setting a series record with nine poles and seven wins for Juncos Racing. Daly's domination was shown with a string of finishing in the top four positions in the 12 races prior to clinching the title at Mosport International Raceway.

Daly has been a standout on the Mazda development ladder system, winning scholarships to compete in Skip Barber National Series and Star Mazda Championship from Mazda.

"Conor has done an outstanding job of delivering the goods both on-track, and off-track to his business supporters," said John Doonan, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Team Development Manager. "As we transition into the Mazda Road to Indy beginning with the 2011 season we needed to make sure that Conor could take a step up in his career, while meeting everyone's business objectives. Thanks to Mazda, the people at INDYCAR, Sam Schmidt Motorsports, and Carlin, Conor should have an outstanding year."