Juncos Hollinger Racing stay resilient through incident-filled Indy Grand Prix
Juncos Hollinger Racing returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Round 6 of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, as the championship headed home for the Month of May.
After 85 hectic laps, Rinus VeeKay crossed the finish line in 15th, while Sting Ray Robb progressed through the field to bring the No. 77 Chevrolet home in 17th.
The weekend’s condensed schedule originally had qualifying on Friday night. But showers in the Indianapolis area grounded the medical helicopter, pushing qualifying to Saturday morning. Both Rinus VeeKay and teammate Sting Ray Robb competed in Group 1, with VeeKay ending the session 11th, and Robb just behind him in 12th.
The 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course delivered tight racing, with cautions providing multiple viable strategies.
How the Race Unfolded
VeeKay started in 21st and Robb 23rd on the grid, both choosing the Firestone primary (black) tires for their opening stint.
As the field lined up side by side to take the green flag, VeeKay suffered front wing damage forcing him to pit on the opening lap for repairs. Further down the main straight, a multi-car incident in Turn 1 gave Robb the opportunity to advance multiple positions. Following the opening lap pit stop, the No. 76 was issued a drive-through penalty for a Race Control infringement.
Robb took his first pit stop on Lap 17, switching to the alternate (red) tire for its required stint. Running in clean air throughout the opening laps, VeeKay was able to start making up ground before the Lap 24 pitstop for alternate tires momentarily halted his progress.
Just as the pair was settling into the race, an incident in Turn 13 saw Robb’s front wing damaged, forcing him to pit for repairs on Lap 27. However, because pit lane was closed at the time of stopping, the No. 77 was issued a drive-through penalty which was served on Lap 33.
The No. 76 stopped again on Lap 40, opting for another stint on the preferred Firestone alternate tire. Sting Ray followed on Lap 50, also choosing the alternate compound.
Soldiering through a front-end vibration, VeeKay was able to make up track position as the field’s many strategies started to shakeup the order. He made his final pit stop on lap 63, choosing the alternate compound again. Robb stopped two laps later for a fresh set of Firestone alternate tires. The late stop for both drivers meant they were able to push through the final stint.
As the final pit sequence played out, both VeeKay and Robb cycled up the order, gaining track position from their earlier stop.
In the final stages, VeeKay overtook four cars on out laps. Robb followed suit, which saw both drivers climb the field in the closing laps. The No. 76 went on to cross the line in 15th, with the No. 77 in 17th.
Team Perspective
Rinus VeeKay, No. 76:
“Today was definitely a hard-fought day, but there are a lot of positives for us to take away from the weekend. From the start, we were working through challenges and trying to maximize what we had, especially without a warm-up session after making a lot of changes to the car.
“The race itself was chaotic right from the start, and like a lot of cars, we picked up some damage early that shuffled us toward the back. From there, it was all about staying in the fight, making the right calls, and continuing to push forward. The penalty situation was unfortunate, but the team kept digging and we were still able to come away with a hard-earned P15.
“Considering everything we dealt with this weekend, finishing inside the top 15 shows the determination and effort from everyone on this team. Of course, we all want more and there’s still work to do, but I think we learned a lot and gave ourselves something to build on heading deeper into the Month of May.
“I’m really excited for what’s ahead. The car felt strong in the open test, and with all the turning left we’re about to do, I’m looking forward to getting back to work and putting together a strong month.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 77:
“Definitely a challenging weekend overall, but I’m proud of how the team kept fighting through everything that came our way. Even though it was a short event on paper, there was a lot happening behind the scenes and the crew worked incredibly hard to keep improving the car every session. By race time, we had a solid package and really good pace in a very chaotic race.
“I think without the contact and the drive-through penalty, we had the speed to fight for a top-10 result, which is encouraging considering where we started the weekend. To come away with 17th after everything that happened shows the resilience of this group and the progress we made over the two days.
“Huge thanks to the entire crew for the effort they put in. Every change they made moved us in the right direction, and they executed at a really high level every time the car hit the track. Now the focus shifts to the 500, and I think we’ve got a strong foundation and a good package to build on heading into the month.”
Dave O’Neill, Team Principal, Juncos Hollinger Racing:
“This was one of those weekends that really tested the entire organization, but I’m proud of the way the team responded from start to finish. The crew and engineers never stopped working to improve the cars, and by race day we had both entries in a much stronger window despite the challenges and setbacks we faced throughout the event.
“There were definitely opportunities for even bigger results, but to fight through the kind of race we had and still come away with solid finishes says a lot about the determination and resilience inside this team. That’s the mentality you need in INDYCAR.
“Most importantly, I think we leave here with momentum. We learned a tremendous amount, the cars showed promising pace, and we’re progressing into the Month of May with an encouraging direction. The focus now is taking those lessons, refining the package even further, and putting ourselves in a position to capitalize at Indianapolis.”