Road America proves difficult to unlock for Juncos Hollinger Racing

Juncos Hollinger Racing’s difficult relationship with Road America continued on Sunday as Rinus VeeKay and Sting Ray Robb finished 18th and 19th respectively in the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America.

Fresh from its strongest result of the season at Gateway, the team arrived in Wisconsin looking to build momentum at a circuit that has historically presented a difficult challenge for Juncos Hollinger Racing.

Starting 21st and 24th on the grid, both drivers elected to begin the 55-lap race on the Firestone alternate tire as the team looked to navigate an afternoon that would be shaped by evolving strategy and repeated interruptions.

While Robb gained an early position after Ferrucci ran off track on the opening lap, VeeKay focused on breaking further into the midfield pack ahead as the opening stint unfolded. As the first round of pit stops began, the No. 76 Chevrolet steadily climbed the order, reaching as high as eighth position as rivals headed into pit lane.

However, the complexion of the race changed on lap 15 when the first full-course caution interrupted the opening pit cycle.

Both JHR entries were initially limited to emergency service under caution conditions before returning to pit lane for full stops and a switch to the Firestone primary tire. The interruption reshuffled the order and left both drivers facing another long stint through the midfield.

Once racing resumed, VeeKay began moving forward once again. The Dutchman gained two positions on the restart before passing his teammate on the front straight and later moving ahead of Josef Newgarden as the No. 76 Chevrolet appeared more comfortable on the primary compound.

The race remained difficult to predict. A second caution shortly after half distance brought another strategic reset, allowing both JHR drivers to make further stops for primary tires before the field returned to green on lap 33.

Any opportunity to build momentum proved short-lived. Another caution followed almost immediately on lap 34, once again compressing the field and reshaping the race.

As the final stages approached, both crews continued searching for track position through strategy. VeeKay pitted for another set of the Firestone primary tire on lap 42, with Robb following two laps later making the same tire choice, but neither driver was able to convert the changing circumstances into significant gains.

A late caution following Graham Rahal's accident in the closing laps effectively settled the order, with VeeKay and Robb classified 18th and 19th respectively.

While the final result did not reflect the progress the team had hoped to make following Gateway, Juncos Hollinger Racing now turns its attention to the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio as the second half of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season continues.

Team Perspective

Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Chevrolet:

“In go-kart terms, a weekend to forget. On to the next one.

“We were off the pace all weekend, struggling to find grip and move ourselves forward on the grid. We qualified 21st and did our best in the race, but unfortunately the yellows didn't fall at the right time for the strategy we were trying to run. We didn't have much luck to go with it, either.

“Good job by everybody in pit lane and the whole team for continuing to work hard and keep pushing. We'll reset at the Mid-Ohio test and be ready for the next one.”

Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 JHR-Goodheart Chevrolet:

"P20 today, teammate P19. I think that shows where our pace was.

“It's unfortunate the way the yellows fell. Every single one seemed to hurt us. Taking emergency fuel on that first caution really set us back and, to be honest, it became a matter of getting through the day.

“I think we learned a lot this weekend. We spent a lot of time chasing the car around, but we ended up with two cars right next to each other running completely different setups. There's definitely an opportunity for us to learn from that.

“Shout out to the team. The pit stops were good and the fueler did a really impressive job getting us out of the box quickly.

“I think the test at Mid-Ohio this week is going to help us a lot heading into the next race.”

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

"Road America has always been a challenging circuit for us and unfortunately we weren't able to make the progress we were looking for this weekend.

"The race was shaped by a number of cautions and different strategy sequences throughout the field, which made it difficult to establish any real rhythm. The cautions certainly didn't fall our way, but equally we didn't put ourselves in a strong enough position earlier in the weekend to set ourselves up for a stronger Sunday.

"We gained track position at various points during the afternoon, but ultimately we weren't able to find the pace we needed to move ourselves further forward.

"On a positive note, the crews did a solid job with the pit stops and it was great to see the reaction to the Justin Patten art car throughout the weekend. The No. 76 certainly attracted plenty of attention and it was a fantastic project for everyone involved.

"We'll take what we've learned from Road America and move forward. The Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio is next up and our focus now is on putting together a stronger weekend."