Rinus VeeKay believes his fourth-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway showed the level Juncos Hollinger Racing was capable of reaching earlier this season at Phoenix.
The Dutch driver delivered his best result of the 2026 IndyCar season, climbing from 13th on the grid to finish fourth.
While pleased with the progress shown by the team, VeeKay was left wondering what might have been after falling just short of a podium finish.
Rinus VeeKay says WWTR performance reflected missed Phoenix opportunity
VeeKay and Juncos Hollinger Racing turned in one of their strongest performances since joining forces, with the No. 76 Chevrolet spending the closing stages battling near the front of the field.
The result marked the team’s best finish since Conor Daly’s podium at Milwaukee in 2024 and reinforced VeeKay’s belief that similar results were possible much earlier in the season.
Reflecting on the performance, VeeKay drew comparisons to Phoenix Raceway, where contact with Alex Palou ended what he felt could have been another competitive outing.
“You know, this is how we should have raced in Phoenix… Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do that. Just really happy to show that pace, that strength for such a young and small team now. We’re beating the big boys right now.”
The comment underlined VeeKay’s growing confidence in both himself and the Juncos Hollinger Racing operation as they continue to establish themselves against IndyCar’s larger organizations.
Season-best result still leaves VeeKay wanting more
Despite securing his best finish of the year, VeeKay admitted there was some frustration after spending much of the evening in contention for a podium.
Strong pit work and strategy helped cycle him into the top five with 57 laps remaining, placing him within striking distance of Christian Rasmussen, Marcus Ericsson and eventual winner Josef Newgarden.
However, VeeKay felt understeer late in the race prevented him from mounting a serious challenge for third place.
“We had a good night… We had good pace, and we moved through traffic. Didn’t have a lot of lucky breaks to start the race, so kind of cycled back all the time, and the last few stops we hit the right thing. We did a great job as a team. JHR Chevy was very good.
“Just a bit too much understeer at the end there, being side by side with Christian (Rasmussen). Couldn’t get it done. Being a race car driver, you’re bummed with fourth place, because you go home somewhat empty handed. But still, really, really good job by the team.”
Although the result left him narrowly outside the podium positions, VeeKay’s performance offered another sign that both driver and team are moving in the right direction heading into the remainder of the season.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
