Juncos Hollinger Racing Set for 2026 Season Opener in St. Petersburg

The wait is over. The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins this weekend on the streets of St. Petersburg, and Juncos Hollinger Racing arrives at Round 1 with a refreshed driver line-up, a strengthened team and a clear sense of direction heading into the year ahead.

 The winter has been busy. Long days in the shop, detailed engineering work and productive pre-season tests at Sebring and Phoenix Raceway have helped shape a solid foundation across our road/street and oval programmes. Now, the focus shifts from preparation to performance.

 A Street Circuit That Demands Commitment

 The 1.8 mile, 14-turn temporary circuit in downtown St. Petersburg remains one of the most challenging openers on the calendar.

 Fast sections along Albert Whitted Airport’s runway flow into tight, technical corners bordered by concrete walls. Mechanical grip, braking stability and traction out of slow-speed turns are critical, and qualifying track position often proves decisive on Sunday.

 It’s a circuit that doesn’t allow drivers or teams to ease into a season.

 The calendar doesn’t either.

 The season begins here, and from this weekend the pace builds quickly – four races in five weeks makes for an intense start to the campaign.

 A Championship On The Move

 The 2026 season brings fresh energy across the series.

 All 17 races will air live on Fox Sports under a new agreement, expanding national visibility for teams, partners and fans alike.

 The schedule also introduces new challenges. Street races in Arlington, Texas and Markham, Ontario join the championship, while the Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C. adds one of the most distinctive backdrops the series has seen in years. Phoenix Raceway returns to the calendar for the first time since 2018, and prime-time night races in Nashville and at World Wide Technology Raceway bring another dimension to the season.

 For JHR, 2026 also marks a return to INDY NXT competition. Re-establishing that presence reinforces the team’s commitment to long-term growth and developing talent within its programme.

 Refreshed Line-Up, Clear Intent

 Rinus VeeKay joins Sting Ray Robb in the JHR programme this season, forming a pairing that showed encouraging pace during winter testing.

 At Sebring, VeeKay finished fourth overall and was the fastest Chevrolet-powered entry across the two-day test. Robb continued to build momentum, with both drivers logging significant mileage and contributing to the team’s evolving setup direction.

 There’s a healthy dynamic within the group, and a sense that the team has taken another step forward over the winter.

 Dave O’Neill, Team Principal

 “Pre-season is about preparation, and we’ve been very deliberate in how we’ve approached the winter. Sebring and Phoenix gave us clarity on our baseline across both road/street and oval programmes.

 “St. Peterburg is always a demanding opener, and the early stretch of the calendar is intense. We understand the level of competition this year and the challenges that lie ahead, but we’re optimistic about the work we’ve done and confident in our ability to rise to them.

 “The foundations are stronger. Now we need to deliver.”