Rinus VeeKay produced one of the standout performances of the IndyCar season at World Wide Technology Raceway, charging from 13th on the grid to secure a hard-earned fourth-place finish in a dramatic Bommarito Automotive Group 500 that stretched beyond midnight into Monday morning.
The result marked the Dutch driver’s best finish of the 2026 campaign and provided a significant boost for Juncos Hollinger Racing, which has continued to establish itself as a growing force among IndyCar’s traditionally dominant organisations.
While victory ultimately belonged to Josef Newgarden, VeeKay spent much of the latter stages of the race firmly in contention for a podium finish, showcasing both racecraft and strategic execution over the 260-lap contest around the 1.25-mile oval.
Climbing Through the Field
Starting from 13th position, VeeKay and the No. 76 Chevrolet team steadily worked their way forward through a combination of competitive pace, clean overtaking and well-executed pit stops.
As the race entered its final quarter, Juncos Hollinger Racing’s pit crew played a crucial role in gaining valuable track position. Following the final cycle of stops, VeeKay emerged inside the top five with 57 laps remaining and suddenly found himself battling among the race leaders.
Ahead of him were:
| Position Battle | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske |
| 2nd | Christian Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing |
| 3rd | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global |
| 4th | Rinus VeeKay | Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Ericsson had dominated much of the evening, leading a race-high 114 laps, while Rasmussen was chasing what would become the strongest result of his IndyCar career.
Despite closing on the leading trio, VeeKay found himself struggling with increasing understeer during the final stint, preventing him from launching a decisive challenge for a podium place.
Crossing the finish line 3.4347 seconds behind Newgarden, he nevertheless secured an excellent fourth-place result.
Best Result of the Season
The finish represents more than just a personal high point for VeeKay.
It is also Juncos Hollinger Racing’s strongest result since former driver Conor Daly claimed a podium finish at Milwaukee in 2024.
For a team operating with significantly fewer resources than powerhouses such as Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Global, competing at the front on merit was an encouraging statement of progress.
“We had a good night,” VeeKay said afterwards.
“We had good pace, and we moved through traffic. We didn’t have a lot of lucky breaks early in the race, so we kept cycling backwards and then fighting our way back. The final few pit stops worked perfectly and we did a great job as a team.”
Frustration Mixed with Pride
Despite celebrating his strongest finish of the year, VeeKay admitted that racers are rarely satisfied when they come so close to silverware.
A late battle with Christian Rasmussen highlighted the challenge.
“Just a bit too much understeer at the end there,” he explained. “Being side-by-side with Christian, I just couldn’t get it done.
“Being a racing driver, you’re disappointed with fourth because you go home somewhat empty-handed. But it was still a really, really good job by the team.”
Echoes of Phoenix
VeeKay also reflected on an earlier missed opportunity this season at Phoenix Raceway, where a promising run ended prematurely following contact with championship leader Alex Palou.
The Dutchman believes the performance shown at World Wide Technology Raceway demonstrated what might have been possible had that race unfolded differently.
| VeeKay’s 2026 WWTR Performance | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Starting Position | 13th |
| Finishing Position | 4th |
| Gap to Winner | 3.4347s |
| Best Season Finish | Yes |
| Best JHR Result Since | Milwaukee 2024 |
“This is how we should have raced in Phoenix,” VeeKay said.
“Unfortunately, we never got the chance to show it there. I’m just really happy we could demonstrate that pace and that strength tonight. For such a young and relatively small team, this is huge.
“We’re beating the big boys right now.”
The result will undoubtedly serve as a confidence boost for both VeeKay and Juncos Hollinger Racing as the IndyCar season enters its second half. More importantly, it provided evidence that the team is increasingly capable of challenging the sport’s established frontrunners on outright pace rather than relying on strategy or circumstance. If the performance at World Wide Technology Raceway is any indication, VeeKay’s first podium of 2026 may not be far away.
