Polkadot-sponsored IndyCar driver Conor Daly secured a top-10 finish at the Indianapolis 500.

Reports highlighted that Daly led the race for 22 laps but couldn’t maintain his lead due to his car's speed limitations. Despite this, he managed to climb from his 29th-place starting position to finish in the top 10.

Daly reflected on his performance, stating that starting from the back hampered his ability to compete with the leaders. He commented:

“We hadn’t run with the frontrunners all month, not even in practice because we started so far back. We usually ran with the other guys, so we weren’t geared properly for when we had to trim out. We hit the limiter in sixth gear trying to pass Scott (McLaughlin) a few times, which hurt us a bit, but the car was good.”

Despite the challenges, Daly considered a top-10 finish “a huge accomplishment” and proudly displayed his “biggest mover” trophy.

Polkadot’s official social media also celebrated the achievement, noting the blockchain network's strong representation in the world’s largest single-day sporting event and motorsports race.

Daly was named Polkadot’s brand ambassador for the Indianapolis 500 about a month prior, marking the first major athlete sponsorship through a blockchain-based community, with a 95.8% approval rating from the community.

The sponsorship aims to increase awareness for the Polkadot network and marks the start of a year-long collaboration involving community events and digital campaigns to promote Polkadot’s technology.

Following Daly’s successful sponsorship, the Polkadot community is considering more sports-related partnerships, including an $8.8 million deal with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami football club.