Our second IndyCar Wrap-Up has us looking at Juncos Hollinger Racing. The team made a late change to its driver lineup during the offseason when it appeared the organization was set to retain its 2023 duo. Gone was Callum Ilott and in was Romain Grosjean, his third team in four seasons. The plucky underdog team that once stole everyone's hearts in Indianapolis 500 qualifying had its best finishes ever this season, but this season will again be remembered for off-track mistakes that has soured the love for the organization.
Romain Grosjean
After a two-year spell with Andretti Autosport, Grosjean was without a team when DHL sponsorship left the organization and the Andretti program downsized to three cars. JHR was a step to something smaller, but smaller did not stop Grosjean from showing great potential at Dale Coyne Racing in 2023. At JHR, Grosjean had some good days but continued to butt heads and the mistakes are simply unavoidable.
What objectively was his best race?
Grosjean had a fourth at Laguna Seca after spending basically the entire race in the top ten. He did not stop under the caution for Luca Ghiotto's accident, and that gave him a few more spots into the top five. Once in that position, he held on despite there being some quick drivers behind him.
What subjectively was his best race?
Laguna Seca. It was his most competitive race and he was not far off finishing third. Grosjean also had a good drive in the second Milwaukee race using strategy to run long on the penultimate stint and saving tires for the run to the checkered flag. It got him ninth.
What objectively was his worst race?
Portland was a mare for Grosjean. He started well in the top ten and he was running well, but then he lost it entering turn one, spun across the track and then when Grosjean attempted to get the car spun back around, he collided with Christian Rasmussen, puncturing the Frenchman's tire in the process. Grosjean had already lost significant time with the spin and waiting for space to open. He then took on a penalty for unsafely spinning into the Dane. Grosjean went from possibly finishing sixth to finishing three laps down in 27th, the final car running.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Portland was a mare for Grosjean. He started well in the top ten and he was running well, but then he lost it entering turn one, spun across the track and then when Grosjean attempted to get the car spun back around, he collided with Christian Rasmussen, puncturing the Frenchman's tire in the process. Grosjean had already lost significant time with the spin and waiting for space to open. He then took on a penalty for unsafely spinning into the Dane. Grosjean went from possibly finishing sixth to finishing three laps down in 27th, the final car running.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Isn't it obvious? Portland was entirely on him, but Grosjean had a number of frustrating days. Some were not going that well to begin with, but it felt like every third race Grosjean was miffed and notably angry over the radio. Detroit stands out as one of those races. He did not have the right fuel-mapping in the first Milwaukee race and lost his cool over something that should not happen at this level.
Romain Grosjean's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 17th (260 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 12.8235
Average Finish: 15.588
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 12.8235
Average Finish: 15.588
Conor Daly
With Agustín Canapino removed after Toronto and the #78 Chevrolet outside of a Leader Circle spot, JHR called in the veteran Daly to increase its chances of claiming one of the 22 positions. With four of the final races on ovals, JHR was hoping to use Daly's expertise to lift it up the results. It was not as simple as that, but Daly was able to get more out of the car than his predecessor.
What objectively was his best race?
It was third in the first Milwaukee race as Daly made a number of impressive moves on the outside of the circuit. However, Daly did benefit from the final caution for Colton Herta's unsecured tire coming loose on track. This allowed Daly to make his final pit stop after a number of cars were trapped a lap down, but Daly did have to make a few passes in the final stint to get to third.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is third at Milwaukee. Daly had still made up 12 spots before getting the break on the final caution that put him into position for a top five finish let alone a podium finish. He did get stuck just outside the top ten and could not make up much more ground than that, but he was able to take Juncos Hollinger Racing and put it on the podium when given the opportunity.
We should also acknowledge Daly's tenth place finish at the Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. It was another ear of Daly taking a good car and putting it in the top ten of IndyCar's biggest race.
What objectively was his worst race?
It was not a race with Juncos Hollinger Racing. Daly stepped in mid-weekend to the #18 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing as Jack Harvey was having back and neck pain. Harvey start-and-parked the first Iowa race and Daly took over for the second race. However, there was a mechanical problem that ended Daly's race after 140 laps.
What subjectively was his worst race?
It was not a race with Juncos Hollinger Racing. Daly stepped in mid-weekend to the #18 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing as Jack Harvey was having back and neck pain. Harvey start-and-parked the first Iowa race and Daly took over for the second race. However, there was a mechanical problem that ended Daly's race after 140 laps.
What subjectively was his worst race?
It is the second Iowa race. Daly got a brief shakedown of the car on Sunday morning before the race and that was it. He was thrown into the fire and he was not going to do much better than maybe cracking the top twenty.
Conor Daly's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 26th (119 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 3
Laps Led: 22
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 22.667
Average Finish: 14.571
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 3
Laps Led: 22
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 22.667
Average Finish: 14.571
Agustín Canapino
A good rookie season for Canapino raised expectations for the Argentine driver in his sophomore season. Though new to single-seater racing, results had to improve to justify Canapino's spot on the grid as the competition continued to improve. There were a few good days, as we saw in 2023, but the average result was not trending in the right direction. There was another off-track incident where Canapino supporters made death threats toward another driver, and Canapino did not make the situation any better. Combined with the on-track results, Canapino did not see out the season.
What objectively was his best race?
It was 12th at Detroit and being on the verge of a top ten. Canapino had a run-in with Théo Pourchaire that cost him some spots, but did not hurt him all that much. Canapino benefitted from others being on the wrong strategy and being caught in greater incidents to score this finish.
What subjectively was his best race?
It was Detroit because Canapino drove a good race. He didn't make any mistakes and mostly avoided the on-track issues. Keeping it clean was working well for him. He lost some spots late but still ended up better than he likely would have finished if it wasn't for the abundance of cautions.
What objectively was his worst race?
Canapino was collected in an opening lap incident in the first Iowa race when David Malukas spun and Canapino and his teammate Grosjean had nowhere to go. Canapino ended up classified in 27th, dead last.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Canapino was collected in an opening lap incident in the first Iowa race when David Malukas spun and Canapino and his teammate Grosjean had nowhere to go. Canapino ended up classified in 27th, dead last.
What subjectively was his worst race?
It is everything post-Detroit, and it is the inability to distance himself from the vitriol spewed online from supporters of his. Worst of all, he fanned the flame, essentially endorsing the behavior as Pourchaire became another target. This could have been avoided. Canapino and JHR could have attempted to diffuse the situation, but like in 2023, neither got ahead of the mess. They actually made it worse.
Canapino was distracted to the point he was sidelined for Road America because the team did not believe he was focused enough to drive the car. He won many admirers for taking this risk and coming to IndyCar after spending basically his entire career in stock cars and sports cars in Argentina. He did respectable considering his lack of background in single-seater cars, but the off-track issues, the lost of a partnership with Arrow McLaren due to this incident combined with his results meant it was best for the team to move on after making Canapino its project just over a season prior.
Agustín Canapino's 2024 Statistics
Championship Position: 27th (109 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 16.818
Average Finish: 20.364
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 16.818
Average Finish: 20.364
An Early Look Ahead
The season ended on a good note for Juncos Hollinger Racing. Both cars finished in the Leader Circle, the cars had flashes of speed, and JHR ended up getting its best finish ever, but the team did have a long season and it will be looking for a step forward.
Where it goes from here is unclear. It does feel apparent that the driver responsible for its first podium finish will not be back, but maybe Conor Daly will stick around. He is scheduled to test with the team at Indianapolis. Daly came in to fill in a role. Daly got the job done as a super-sub, but it is not necessarily enough to earn him a full-time ride. That will likely come down to someone with money. Romain Grosjean could stick around but that is far from a guarantee as well.
Keeping Grosjean could provide a little consistency heading into a new season, but there is not a clear direction of where the team could go with its second seat. The Agustín Canapino experiment is over. There are plenty of IndyCar-experienced drivers hanging around that could lift JHR to a higher level, but JHR is in a precarious financial situation. There were not many sponsors on the two JHR cars, and in three seasons of full-time competition, JHR has not seen any significant partner, other than the tourism money Canapino brought.
At some point, the team will need a stronger base than relying on Ricardo Juncos' ties to Argentina and whatever percentage of Brad Hollinger's wealth he is comfortable with burning. Any hope that having a name like Grosjean will attract partners seems foolish at this point.
For three seasons, we have seen flashes at JHR, whether it be Callum Ilott, Grosjean or Daly, but the team needs something a little more substantial than three or four good races a year and then a dozen or more disappointing days. At its best, it is a respectable team. At its worse, it looks like a team that has bit off more than it can chew.
Even if things take a step forward, how far is JHR going to move up?
The team has never had a top fifteen championship finisher. Grosjean ended up scoring fewer points than Ilott did in 2023. Ed Carpenter Racing struggled to get top five finishers. It took A.J. Foyt Racing partnering with Team Penske to get a car in the top ten of the championship. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing won a race last season, had a few competitive days in 2024, and RLLR still looks a mile off from the top of the pile. JHR isn't going to leap into the mix with Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Global. It is going to fall short of Arrow McLaren.
Cracking the top fifteen and possibly finishing inside the top 12 appears to be the realistic limit. JHR is not going to a world-beater in 2025. That will be a chance to improve but that improvement will still be far from the mountaintop.
