A.J. Foyt Racing driver Mike Conway has stepped out of the No. 14 entry at Fontana and will be replaced by Wade Cunningham this weekend.
“I’m truly sorry for putting the team and our sponsors in a difficult position, but this is the hardest decision I have ever made in my racing career,” said Conway. “I’ve come to realize I’m not comfortable on the ovals and no longer wish to compete on them. I want to stress that I am not finished racing and to this end, I would love to continue with Foyt Racing, but that’s something we need to discuss in the future.”
Conway, who could fare no better than 20th-fastest in testing on Friday, ran during the first two hours of the eight-hour test, managing a best of 210.3. The Foyt team soon closed up its pit equipment and did not return to pit lane.
Conway and the Foyt team are coming off of one of their strongest events of the year. The Briton qualified second at Baltimore and improved a number of positions after receiving a 10-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change.
A late-race error saw Conway nose into the wall in the final laps, but as a whole, the No. 14 program had been building momentum in the second-half of the season.
With Conway driving its Honda-powered entry, the Foyt team has three top 10s this season with a best result of third on the streets of Toronto, but Conway’s lack of desire to race on ovals has called a premature end to their efforts.
Cunningham, who drove for Foyt at the Indy 500, saw his day cut short with electrical issues at the legendary race, but excels at the art of turning left.
The rapid 28-year-old Kiwi won the 2005 Firestone Indy Lights Series championship and has four IndyCar Series starts to his credit–all on ovals–with a best of seventh at Kentucky in 2011.
Conway’s future with the team is obviously in question, but team director Larry Foyt told SPEED.com it’s possible he could return to compete on road and street courses next season.
