JHR ready to build momentum for the second half of the season at Mid-Ohio

Callum Ilott and Agustín Canapino will do battle in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio this weekend (June 30-July 2) – and the Juncos Hollinger Racing drivers are determined to build some momentum as they head into the second half of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR season.

As a road course, the 2.25-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car track boasts a diverse range of corners and elevation changes that will challenge all the drivers this weekend. During Sunday’s 80-lap race, overtakes will need to be inch-perfect to stay within the narrow circuit’s 40-foot width.

With a break from racing last weekend, JHR has used its time to analyze the performance at Road America last time out. Two weeks ago, Callum and Agustín found the going tough on the newly-resurfaced track and finished P18 and P19 respectively.

But Mid-Ohio, which is the ninth round of 17, presents an opportunity to get back on track – physically and metaphorically.

In the championship standings, Callum sits in P14 with nine races of the season to run, while rookie team-mate Agustín occupies P22 in his debut season.

Callum Ilott said:

“Mid-Ohio was a good track for us last year, as we were pretty fast. Unfortunately, we had a mechanical issue in the race, but we were running close to the top ten. Hopefully we can approach this weekend similarly to last year.

“It will be nice to return to action after a week off, and I’m looking forward to competing on what is a very challenging road course.”

Agustín Canapino said:

“This weekend’s race will be at another new circuit for me, but it’s a road course which is a classic here in the USA. It will be a challenging few days as it is a difficult track, but I am confident that the team can deliver a positive result.

“I have earned some good results in the last few races, so I am looking forward to continuing our progression as a team by delivering another good performance.”

Ricardo Juncos said:

“I’m looking forward to the upcoming race, as we showed good speed with Callum at Mid-Ohio last year.

“This weekend, we welcome some new talent into our technical department following an internal restructure. Brad [Hollinger] and I are excited to see what we can achieve across the next few days and in future races with our new team members.

“We’re very strong on the mechanics side, we’re very strong on the drivers side, we’re very strong on the chemistry of the team and the philosophy that we’ve established. That’s what you want to see as team owners.

“In INDY NXT, our young drivers – Matteo and Rasmus – are also determined to have a good result this weekend. This is a historic track, and we’re ready for the challenge that awaits.”

Juncos Hollinger Racing’s rising stars will also be in action this weekend as they take on their rivals in the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio.

Matteo Nannini and Rasmus Lindh will race 35 laps on Sunday morning and both men will be determined to earn a positive result at the seventh round of the 2023 INDY NXT series, after a challenging outing at Road America in mid-June.

Round three race winner Matteo completed that particular race in P16, while Rasmus was classified P18 after exiting the Wisconsin race early.

Matteo Nannini said:

“We’re heading to Mid-Ohio this weekend, a track which we have previously tested at. It was a productive test for me, as I got to learn the track layout and what to expect from the car.

“Our pace has generally been stronger at the road courses this season, so I am hopeful that we can earn a good result for the team.”

Rasmus Lindh said:

“I hope that we can have some luck on our side this weekend. After Road America, we need some of that for me and the crew. I’ve always liked Mid-Ohio, so I’m looking forward to it.”