Juncos Hollinger Racing Heads to St. Louis as NTT IndyCar Series Season Reaches Halfway Point

Juncos Hollinger Racing heads to St. Louis this weekend as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to World Wide Technology Raceway for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500.

The races have been coming thick and fast for the team since the start of the Month of May, with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Detroit and now Gateway forming part of one of the busiest periods of the season. As Round 9 of 18, this weekend's event also marks the halfway point of the 2026 championship.

JHR arrives in Illinois following another competitive race-day performance at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, where Rinus VeeKay and Sting Ray Robb charged through the field to finish 12th and 14th respectively after starting 18th and 24th. The pair gained a combined 22 positions during the race, with the team's entries finishing as the fourth and fifth highest-placed Chevrolet-powered cars at the marque’s home event.

The result followed a landmark Month of May for the team, highlighted by VeeKay's sixth-place finish in the Indianapolis 500, the best result in JHR history at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, as well as the team's first appearance in the Fast 12 qualifying session.

Located just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis in Madison, Illinois, World Wide Technology Raceway presents one of the most technical oval challenges on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar. The 1.25-mile circuit's unique asymmetrical layout means drivers effectively tackle two very different sets of corners each lap, demanding constant compromise in car setup, tyre management and race execution. Despite its relatively short length, lap times are typically completed in around 25 seconds, leaving little margin for error and placing a premium on precision.

The characteristics of Turns 1 and 2 are often compared to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while Turns 3 and 4 share similarities with Phoenix Raceway. The result is a circuit that rewards adaptability and precision, making Gateway a favourite among many drivers and one of the most strategically complex races of the season.

Gateway has delivered some notable results for both drivers in recent years. VeeKay finished seventh at the circuit last season and recorded a career-best fourth-place finish there during his rookie campaign in 2020. Robb also enjoyed one of the strongest weekends of his career at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2024, securing his first series top-10 finish with ninth place.

Juncos Hollinger Racing has also demonstrated competitiveness at the venue in recent seasons. Conor Daly led laps during last year's race before finishing 13th, while the team’s history at Gateway stretches back even further through the junior categories, including a St. Louis oval victory for VeeKay during his 2018 Pro Mazda championship campaign.

Weather could also become a factor, with rain currently forecast for Sunday. Any interruption to on-track running would place greater importance on making the most of every available lap around World Wide Technology Raceway.

Adding to the challenge, the Gateway weekend follows a condensed schedule, placing additional emphasis on preparation and adaptability. With limited track time available before qualifying and changing conditions expected between the daytime and night-time sessions, teams will need to maximise every opportunity to fine-tune their packages ahead of Sunday's 260-lap race under the lights.

As one of the premier night races on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar, the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presents a unique challenge even by oval racing standards. As temperatures fall and track conditions evolve throughout the evening, traffic management, pit lane execution and strategy often prove decisive.

For Juncos Hollinger Racing, the event provides another opportunity to continue the progress shown throughout the opening half of the season. Reliability has remained a consistent strength, pit lane performance continues to trend in the right direction, and the team's competitiveness has been demonstrated across street circuits, road courses and oval tracks alike.

As the championship reaches its midpoint, the focus remains on converting encouraging pace into strong results and continuing to build on the foundations established during the opening eight races of the year.

Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Chevrolet:

“We’ve had a really solid stretch as a team recently, and I think there are a lot of positives to build on. Indianapolis, obviously that was a huge result for us, and even after that, we’ve continued showing speed on very different types of tracks. That gives us confidence heading into a place like Gateway.

“I enjoy racing there. It’s a short oval, but it races very differently to Indianapolis because everything happens so quickly and you have to stay really focused in traffic. Strategy, pit stops and getting the balance right over a long run are all super important. I think we’ve been improving in all those areas as a team, so I’m excited to get back in the No. 76 Chevrolet and see what we can do this weekend.”

Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 Chevrolet:

“We’ve learned a lot as a team through these last few weeks, and I think there’s a lot of encouragement in the direction we’re heading.

“Gateway is such a unique challenge because things happen quickly and there’s very little margin for error. On an oval like this, execution matters so much — from managing traffic to pit lane performance and making the right adjustments throughout the race. It’s a track I enjoy, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to keep building momentum with this No. 77 group and see what we can accomplish this weekend.”

Dave O'Neill, Team Principal, Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“We've come through a very busy period of the season and I think there are a lot of encouraging signs for the team. Indianapolis was obviously a significant milestone for us and Detroit showed that we were able to be competitive on a very different type of circuit.

“As we reach the halfway point of the championship, the focus is on continuing that progress. Reliability has been strong, the work being done by the pit crews is paying off, and we're seeing positive signs across all areas of the organisation.

“Gateway presents another unique challenge. It's a track that rewards execution and doesn't leave much room for mistakes, particularly over a long race. Traffic, strategy and pit lane performance all play a major role.

“It's a race our drivers enjoy, it's an event the team enjoys, and we're looking forward to seeing what we can achieve this weekend.”