JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING DELIVERS BEST RESULT OF 2026 SEASON IN CHAOTIC GATEWAY THRILLER
Juncos Hollinger Racing delivered its best result of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season at World Wide Technology Raceway as Rinus VeeKay charged from 13th on the grid to finish fourth in a dramatic Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The Dutchman completed 36 on-track passes and navigated six pit stops during a race that featured multiple cautions, two red flags and constantly changing weather conditions beneath the lights in St. Louis.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES reached the halfway point of the season in front of packed grandstands, pyrotechnics and an electric atmosphere at Gateway's 1.25-mile oval. However, what began as one of the championship's marquee night races quickly developed into one of its most unpredictable events, with strategy, restarts and repeated rain interruptions reshaping the order throughout the evening.
VeeKay's weekend had begun with adversity. The Dutchman lost valuable track time in practice after an incident between Turns 3 and 4 while searching for additional front-end grip, requiring repairs to the No. 76 Chevrolet before qualifying. VeeKay recovered to qualify 13th, while Sting Ray Robb qualified 25th. Hauger’s pre-race withdrawal elevated the No. 77 Chevrolet to 24th on the starting grid for the team’s first short-oval race since Phoenix.
When the green flag waved for the 260-lap race, both JHR drivers immediately began moving forward. Robb gained ground in the opening laps with passes on Power, Foster and Simpson, while VeeKay embarked on a long battle with Lundgaard. After spending much of the opening stint applying pressure, VeeKay completed an impressive outside pass on Lundgaard on Lap 32 before turning his attention to the cars ahead.
A lengthy green-flag opening run placed a premium on tire management and pit execution. As the first pit cycle unfolded, VeeKay worked his way into the top 10 before making his opening stop on Lap 52, while Robb climbed to 20th before pitting two laps later. The race's first caution followed shortly afterwards when Siegel made contact with the wall, resetting the field after 55 uninterrupted laps.
The restart proved to be the beginning of VeeKay's incredible charge. The Dutchman climbed into the top eight, passed Dixon for seventh and later emerged ahead of Malukas following another standout stop from the No. 76 crew.
Weather had been a threat throughout the weekend and soon became a defining factor. Rain arrived during a prolonged caution period, forcing the first red flag of the evening and bringing the field to pit lane.
When racing resumed, VeeKay quickly re-established himself inside the top six and among the fastest cars on track. Another bold outside pass on Kirkwood was followed by a move on Power as the Dutchman continued his march towards the front.
A second rain interruption and red flag created yet another strategic reset. When the race resumed, Juncos Hollinger Racing once again executed perfectly in pit lane, positioning VeeKay fourth for the final sprint to the finish.
As the track returned to green, the safety car peeled away with fewer than 50 laps remaining, setting up a dramatic dash to the finish. Armed with fresh tires and running fourth, VeeKay immediately went on the attack, sweeping around the outside of Rossi to move into third place and attach himself to the fight at the front.
With rain still threatening the circuit and another interruption possible at any moment, every position carried added significance. VeeKay remained glued to the lead group while opening a comfortable gap over the cars behind before yet another caution was required for rain with just 34 laps remaining.
When the flag dropped, VeeKay's remarkable recovery from a practice crash was complete, yielding 36 on-track passes, six pit stops and fourth place – Juncos Hollinger Racing's best result of the 2026 season and strongest-ever finish at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Starting from the rear of the field, Robb battled forward throughout the evening to finish 19th despite the changing weather, repeated cautions and evolving strategy calls.
Team Perspective
Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Chevrolet:
“Really great job by the No. 76 crew. It was a good race, coming from 13th to fourth. Obviously, we wanted a podium at the end there, but I think we can be very satisfied with fourth place considering where we came from and how we raced.
“Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of passing going on at the end. I think we got close to pulling one off, but it is what it is. We had a little bit of understeer and I just couldn't get by, but I gave it a good shot.
“The guys in pit lane were incredible all night and Chevrolet power got us really far. I'm happy to finally get a really good oval finish.
“I think we could have had one in Phoenix as well, but this weekend, and especially today, we did what we needed to do.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 Chevrolet:
“It was a tough one and really frustrating.
“Congratulations to Rinus. I'm really happy to see the team come away with a P4. It's our best finish of the year, so that's really good to see. I think we're heading in the right direction and we'll learn what we can before the next oval.
“I'm excited about the next race. Road America is one of my favourite tracks. We had a difficult event there last year, so hopefully we can do well.
“Thanks to the No. 77 crew. They work incredibly hard and hopefully we can bounce back from this one and come away with a top 15 finish next time out.”
Dave O’Neill, Team Principal, Juncos Hollinger Racing:
"Fourth place at Gateway is a fantastic result for everyone at Juncos Hollinger Racing and a great reward for all the hard work that's gone in over the past few months, particularly since the start of the season.
“It was an incredibly challenging race with the weather, the red flags and all the strategy calls throughout the evening, but the team executed extremely well from start to finish. The pit crew were outstanding all night and gave us the track position we needed when it mattered most.
“Rinus drove brilliantly. To come from 13th on the grid after the setback in practice and fight his way through the field the way he did was hugely impressive. He made a lot of passes, stayed out of trouble and put himself in contention every time the race changed.
“Sting Ray and the No. 77 crew kept battling as well. It wasn't an easy race for them, but they stayed focused and kept working through a constantly evolving situation.
“This is our best result of the season so far and another positive step forward for the team. I'd also like to thank Strawberry Fields REIT for joining us this weekend, along with all of our partners for their continued support. We'll enjoy this one and then focus on carrying this momentum forward."