Conor Daly has urged IndyCar officials to enforce tougher penalties after a collision between Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. On lap 27 of the season opener, the two drivers clashed while competing for tenth place, sparking controversy over the race officiating around aggressive driving maneuvers.
During the incident, Simpson, running eleventh, attempted an inside pass on Rasmussen, who was in tenth, at Turn 1’s right-hander. Simpson, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, pushed aggressively despite limited space on the inside. His front left tire made contact with Rasmussen’s rear right tire, causing Rasmussen’s car to spin around as he exited the corner.
IndyCar Officials Choose No Penalty for Simpson’s Move
IndyCar’s newly formed independent officiating board reviewed the incident but decided not to penalize Kyffin Simpson for the aggressive move. Daly, who has dealt with Rasmussen’s assertive style on track in the past, spoke out against this decision, stressing that Simpson bore responsibility for the crash despite Rasmussen’s reputation.
During the Speed Street podcast, Daly said:
“As Rasmussen says, he’s never going to lift, which again, he shouldn’t have in this case anyway. Kyffin was overly aggressive and did stick it in there. Like, if the shoe is on the other foot, if Rasmussen did that to Kyffin, he probably would have just been like, ‘Yeah, no that’s how racing is.’ So I think we have to, as a series, I think that should have been probably a penalty.”
Daly, now a reserve driver for Juncos Hollinger Racing, also reflected on his own experience with Rasmussen’s driving at last year’s Portland race, where an aggressive move from Rasmussen resulted in a serious crash. However, Daly emphasized that Rasmussen was not at fault in his recent incident with Simpson.
“And I’m taking Rasmussen’s side on this one, like, hey, he should not have been spun out there. But if you’re asking for that and if you’re going to be doing that, then you got to be willing to take it as well. (But) I don’t like that. I don’t think that should be acceptable because if you’re going to be able to turn into a corner, get to their left rear, and just spin them out, I don’t see how you don’t penalize them for that. That’s just wrecking someone,”
The outcome of the race saw Simpson finishing 15th and Rasmussen dropping to 19th, each five positions lower than their starting places after qualifying.
Daly Comments on St. Petersburg’s Early Lap Crash Involving Sting Ray Robb
On the same podcast, Daly addressed another major crash during the Grand Prix’s first lap involving his former Juncos Hollinger Racing teammate, Sting Ray Robb. Robb locked up his tires entering Turn 4 and collided with Santino Ferrucci’s car, leading both into the barriers. Following the crash, Mick Schumacher, trailing behind, was also caught in the pileup.
Although the incident was caused by Robb’s error, Daly expressed support for his teammate, highlighting Robb’s positive character and noting that such mistakes are part of racing.
“After being teammates with Sting Ray – he’s such a great person. Like, he’s a really nice guy, and I have nothing bad to say about him. And people do make mistakes, right? This could be someone else in Phoenix (next race), right? But just a really tough way to start. Turn 4 is very inviting to go down the inside, but when you’re that far back in the pack, you do lose a lot of that aero capability of the car.”
Conor Daly’s Ongoing Role with Juncos Hollinger Racing
While Daly is not confirmed as a full-time driver for the 2026 IndyCar season, his continued involvement with Juncos Hollinger Racing remains significant. The sponsors Daly brought to the team, ARCO and ampm, will now appear on the cars of Rinus Veekay and Sting Ray Robb this season. Daly retains a reserve and development driver position with the team, maintaining his connection to competitive IndyCar racing.
Implications for IndyCar’s Safety and Officiating Standards
Daly’s call for stricter enforcement in the Rasmussen and Simpson crash highlights ongoing tensions around aggressive driving and race officiating in IndyCar. His frustration reflects concerns shared by many within the sport about inconsistent penalty decisions that can impact driver safety and race outcomes. As the season progresses, the independent officiating board’s approach to managing incidents like these will be closely watched, with fans and drivers alike anticipating clearer rules and harsher consequences for reckless maneuvers.
With young drivers like Rasmussen, Simpson, and Robb pushing aggressively, the series faces a critical need to balance competitive racing with safety standards, making Daly’s demands for tougher penalties particularly relevant ahead of pivotal races such as Phoenix and beyond.
Christian Rasmussen goes around after contact from Kyffin Simpson. pic.twitter.com/Y6QZlrM9q4
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) March 1, 2026
