Derek Daly

Derek Patrick Daly (born 11 March 1953) is an Irish former racing driver, businessman and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from Template:F1 to Template:F1.

Born and raised in Dublin, Daly won the British Formula Three Championship in 1977, before participating in 64 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting at the 1978 United States Grand Prix West. His 15 championship points made him the first Irish driver to score in Formula One, and remains the highest scoring; he also participated in several non-championship races. After Formula One, Daly moved to the United States to compete in CART and IMSA, where he led Nissan to the IMSA GTP Championship in 1990.

Racing career

After honing his skills in the Irish Formula Ford Championship, Daly had his first drive in the European Formula Two Championship in 1977. In 1978 and 1979, he competed in both Formula Two and Formula One, finishing third in the Formula Two championship in both seasons. From 1980 to 1982, he focussed on Formula One, his best year being 1980, when he scored two fourth-place finishes and finished 11th in the Drivers' Championship. His two most memorable moments in F1 both came in the Monaco Grand Prix. In 1980 he crashed spectacularly at the first corner after vaulting three other cars. In 1982 he suddenly found himself in contention for the win when the four cars ahead of him ran into problems with under two laps to go, but ended up on the sidelines himself when his gearbox seized moments later.

File:1987 Indianapolis 500 (50042569013).jpg

Daly qualifying for the 1987 Indianapolis 500

In 1982, Daly began driving in the CART series and continued through 1989. He started 66 CART races, including each Indianapolis 500 from 1983 to 1989, except for 1986. He finished in the top ten a total of 21 times, including one podium finish, 3rd position, at Milwaukee in 1987. In September 1984 he was nearly killed in a crash in the CART PPG Detroit News Grand Prix 200 at Michigan International Speedway. The front end of his car was sheared off and he suffered multiple injuries including a crushed left ankle, double compound fracture to the left tibia and fibula, fractured left hip socket, severely fractured pelvis, several broken left side ribs, broken left hand, 3rd degree burns to the left arm, dislocated right foot and ankle, deep abrasions and soft tissue to right heel, and internal bleeding.

Daly won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1990 and 1991 driving a Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo. In 1990, he had the unusual distinction of driving both the first and second-placed cars.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Broadcast and business career

Daly is known in motor sports circles around the world as a driver, writer, broadcaster, racing advisor, and businessman. He runs a professional services company called MotorVation, and had been a commentator for American broadcasts of the Champ Car series, as well as a public speaker. One of the agencies that represents him is the National Speakers Bureau.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2018, Daly was fired from a racing analyst position he had at WISH-TV when WISH-TV attributed a racial slur that was uttered by Indianapolis Colts announcer Bob Lamey in 1983 to him. While not disputing saying the slur, Daly contends that he did not use the offending language in the context Lamey alleged (Lamey claimed that Daly had once stated "... there aren't any (racial slur) in this race"), but instead used the word as part of a common Irish colloquialism during a 1983 radio interview.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Daly filed a $25M lawsuit as a result.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later that year, U.S. district court judge Richard L. Young ruled in favor of WISH-TV and the station's former parent company, Nexstar Media Group, in all claims in Daly's lawsuit and ordered him to pay Nexstar's legal costs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Daly became a US citizen on September 28, 1993,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he now resides in Carmel, Indiana.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He has three sons, Conor, Colin and Christian.

Daly's son Conor is also a racing driver. He made his debut in full-time open-wheel racing in 2012, driving for the Lotus GP team in GP3,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> before moving GP2 in 2014 driving for Venezuela GP Lazarus.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Conor made his IndyCar Series debut in 2013 and was a full-time driver from 2016 to 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also competed in the Daytona 500 in 2023, finishing 29th.

Daly's niece, Nicola Daly, is an Ireland women's field hockey international and was a member of the squad that won the silver medal at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup. She also works as a data engineer for Juncos Racing.<ref name="sportschronicle160818">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="chicmoto160818">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="wispsports050316">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="fearless050818">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="42ie190818">Template:Cite news</ref>

Racing record

Career summary

Season	Series	Team	Races	Wins	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
1977	Super Visco British Formula Three	Derek McMahon Racing	15	4	1	0	7	69	1st
	Vandervell British Formula Three		7	0	0	0	1	34	5th
	FIA European Formula 3		4	1	1	0	2	13	9th
	European Formula Two	Chevron Racing	1	0	0	0	0	2	18th
1978	European Formula Two	Chevron Racing	12	2	1	2	4	27	3rd
	Formula One	Olympus Cameras with Hesketh Racing	0	0	0	0	0	1	19th
		Team Tissot Ensign	6	0	0	0	0
1979	European Formula Two	Project Four Racing	9	1	1	2	5	33	3rd
	Formula One	Team Ensign	3	0	0	0	0	0	NC
		Candy Tyrrell Team	3	0	0	0	0
1980	Formula One	Candy Tyrrell Team	14	0	0	0	0	6	11th
	BMW M1 Procar Championship	BMW Motorsport	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1981	Formula One	March Grand Prix Team Guinness RIzla+. March	8	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1982	Formula One	TAG Williams Team	12	0	0	0	0	8	13th
		Theodore Racing Team	3	0	0	0	0
	World Sportscar Championship	Ford Motor Company	1	0	0	0	0	1	117th
	PPG Indy Car World Series	Wysard Racing	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1983	PPG Indy Car World Series	Provimi Racing	5	0	0	0	0	4	27th
		Wysard Racing	2	0	0	0	0
	European Formula Two	McMahon Racing	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
	World Sportscar	Team Ikuzawa	0	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1984	PPG Indy Car World Series	Provimi Racing	11	0	0	0	0	26	19th
1985	PPG Indy Car World Series	Tom Hess Racing	1	0	0	0	0	1	40th
1986	PPG Indy Car World Series	Curb Motorsports	3	0	0	0	0	11	23rd
1987	PPG Indy Car World Series	Raynor Motorsports	12	0	0	0	1	27	15th
		Pace Racing	1	0	0	0	0
1988	PPG Indy Car World Series	Raynor Motorsports	15	0	0	0	0	53	9th
	24 Hours of Le Mans	Silk Cut Jaguar	1	0	0	0	0	30	4th
1989	PPG Indy Car World Series	Raynor Motorsports	15	0	0	0	0	25	12th
	24 Hours of Le Mans	Silk Cut Jaguar	1	0	0	0	0	N/A	DNF
1990	IMSA GT Championship	Nissan Performance	4	4	1	0	4	N/A	NC
	24 Hours of Le Mans		1	0	0	0	0	N/A	DNF
1991	IMSA GT Championship	Nissan Performance	1	1	1	0	1	N/A	NC

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Pos	Pts
Template:F2	Chevron Racing	Chevron/B40	Hart	SIL	THR	HOC	NÜR	VLL	PAU	MUG	ROU	NOG	PER	MIS	EST Template:Small	DON	18th	2
Template:F2	Chevron Racing	Chevron/B42	Hart	THR Template:Small	HOC Template:Small	NÜR Template:Small	PAU Template:Small	MUG Template:Small	VLL Template:Small	ROU Template:Small	DON Template:Small	NOG Template:Small	PER Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	HOC Template:Small		3rd	27
Template:F2	Project Four Racing	March/792	BMW	SIL Template:Small	HOC	THR Template:Small	NÜR	VLL	MUG Template:Small	PAU Template:Small	HOC Template:Small	ZAN Template:Small	PER Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	DON Template:Small		3rd	33
Template:F2	McMahon Racing	March/822	Hart	SIL	THR	HOC	NÜR	VLL	PAU	JAR	DON Template:Small	MIS	PER	ZOL	MUG		-	0

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Pts.
1978	Olympus Cameras with Hesketh Racing	Hesketh 308E	Ford V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	USW Template:Small	MON Template:Small	BEL Template:Small	ESP	SWE									19th	1
	Team Tissot Ensign	Ensign N177	Ford V8									FRA Template:Small	GBR Template:Small	GER	AUT Template:Small	NED Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	USA Template:Small	CAN Template:Small
1979	Team Ensign	Ensign N177	Ford V8	ARG Template:Small	BRA Template:Small			ESP Template:Small	BEL Template:Small											NC	0
		Ensign N179	Ford V8			RSA Template:Small	USW Template:Small			MON Template:Small	FRA	GBR	GER
	Candy Tyrrell Team	Tyrrell 009	Ford V8											AUT Template:Small	NED	ITA	CAN Template:Small	USA Template:Small
1980	Candy Tyrrell Team	Tyrrell 009	Ford V8	ARG Template:Small	BRA Template:Small	RSA Template:Small														11th	6
		Tyrrell 010	Ford V8				USW Template:Small	BEL Template:Small	MON Template:Small	FRA Template:Small	GBR Template:Small	GER Template:Small	AUT Template:Small	NED Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	CAN Template:Small	USA Template:Small
1981	March Grand Prix Team	March 811	Ford V8	USW Template:Small	BRA Template:Small	ARG Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	BEL Template:Small	MON Template:Small											NC	0
	Guinness RIzla+. March									ESP Template:Small	FRA Template:Small	GBR Template:Small	GER Template:Small	AUT Template:Small	NED Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	CAN Template:Small	CPL Template:Small
1982	Theodore Racing Team	Theodore TY01	Ford V8	RSA Template:Small																13th	8
		Theodore TY02	Ford V8		BRA Template:Small	USW Template:Small	SMR
	TAG Williams Team	Williams FW08	Ford V8					BEL Template:Small	MON Template:Small	DET Template:Small	CAN Template:Small	NED Template:Small	GBR Template:Small	FRA Template:Small	GER Template:Small	AUT Template:Small	SUI Template:Small	ITA Template:Small	CPL Template:Small

CART results

Year	Team	No.	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Rank	Points	Ref
1982	Wysard Racing	34	March 82C	Ford Cosworth DFX	PHX	ATL	MIL	CLE	MIS	MIL	POC	RIV	ROA	MIS2	PHX2 Template:Small							NC	0	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1983	Wysard Racing		March 82C	Ford Cosworth DFX	ATL Template:Small																	27th	4	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
			March 83C			INDY Template:Small	MIL	CLE	MIS
	Provimi Racing	90	March 82/83C	Ford Cosworth DFX						ROA Template:Small	POC	RIV	MDO Template:Small	MIS2	LVG Template:Small	LS Template:Small	PHX Template:Small
1984	Provimi Racing	17	March 84C	Ford Cosworth DFX	LBH Template:Small	PHX Template:Small	INDY Template:Small	MIL	POR Template:Small	MEA Template:Small	CLE Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	ROA Template:Small	POC	MDO Template:Small	SAN Template:Small	MIS2 Template:Small	PHX2	LS	LVG		19th	26	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1985	Tom Hess Racing	29	Lola T900	Ford Cosworth DFX	LBH	INDY Template:Small	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	MIS	ROA	POC	MDO	SAN	MIS2	LS	PHX	MIA			40th	1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1986	Team Menard		March 86C	Ford Cosworth DFX	PHX	LBH	INDY Template:Small	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	TOR	MIS	POC								23rd	11	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Curb Motorsports	66													MDO Template:Small	SAN Template:Small	MIS2	ROA Template:Small	LS	PHX2	MIA
1987	Pace Racing	10	March 87C	Buick V6 (t/c)	LBH	PHX	INDY Template:Small															15th	27	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Raynor Motorsports		Lola T87/00	Ford Cosworth DFX				MIL Template:Small	POR Template:Small	MEA Template:Small	CLE Template:Small	TOR Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	POC Template:Small	ROA Template:Small	MDO Template:Small	NAZ Template:Small	LS Template:Small	MIA Template:Small
1988	Raynor Motorsports		Lola T88/00	Ford Cosworth DFX	PHX Template:Small	LBH Template:Small	INDY Template:Small	MIL Template:Small	POR Template:Small	CLE Template:Small	TOR Template:Small	MEA Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	POC Template:Small	MDO Template:Small	ROA Template:Small	NAZ Template:Small	LS Template:Small	MIA Template:Small			9th	53	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1989	Raynor Motorsports		Lola T89/00	Judd AV	PHX Template:Small	LBH Template:Small	INDY Template:Small	MIL Template:Small	DET Template:Small	POR Template:Small	CLE Template:Small	MEA Template:Small	TOR Template:Small	MIS Template:Small	POC Template:Small	MDO Template:Small	ROA Template:Small	NAZ Template:Small	LS Template:Small			12th	25	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1988	Template:Flagicon Silk Cut Jaguar Template:Flagicon Tom Walkinshaw Racing	Template:Flagicon Kevin Cogan Template:Flagicon Larry Perkins	Jaguar XJR-9LM	C1	383	4th	4th
1989	Template:Flagicon Silk Cut Jaguar Template:Flagicon Tom Walkinshaw Racing	Template:Flagicon Davy Jones Template:Flagicon Jeff Kline	Jaguar XJR-9LM	C1	85	DNF	DNF
1990	Template:Flagicon Nissan Performance Technology Inc.	Template:Flagicon Geoff Brabham Template:Flagicon Chip Robinson	Nissan R90CK	C1	251	DNF	DNF

External links

• Template:Official website
• Derek Daly Designs (course design business)
• Profile at grandprix.com