Conor Daly Juncos Hollinger Racing: Full-Season Deal Confirmed for 2025 IndyCar Campaign
Conor Daly has found a home with Juncos Hollinger Racing for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, completing the team’s driver lineup.
The Indiana native, born in Noblesville in 1991, returns to JHR after giving the team its first podium finish in 2024.
Despite facing a significant $3.5 million sponsorship shortfall from blockchain backers earlier this year, Daly’s position with the team remains secure. They will move forward together for a full-season campaign.
This partnership marks an important step for both Daly and the growing Juncos Hollinger Racing organization.
While Daly has bounced between various teams throughout his career, including stints in NASCAR and Indy Lights, this opportunity provides stability and continuity.
The team announced his return with enthusiasm, clearly valuing what the experienced American brings to their garage in terms of feedback and racing acumen.
For motorsports fans, this pairing represents one of the more intriguing storylines heading into the 2025 season. Daly’s career has been defined by persistence through adversity, and JHR has been steadily building its program into a competitive force on the grid.
With a full season ahead and their first podium already achieved, the question now becomes whether this collaboration can produce even more breakthrough results.
The Historical Connection
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Conor Daly’s relationship with Juncos Hollinger Racing runs deeper than many realize, with roots stretching back to his formative racing years when Ricardo Juncos was building his racing operation.
Flashback To 2010 USF Pro 2000 Championship Success
Long before his IndyCar career took off, Daly’s path crossed significantly with Ricardo Juncos in the 2010 USF Pro 2000 Championship.
The young American driver dominated the championship that season, claiming seven victories while racing for Juncos Racing.
This championship victory marked one of the first major successes for Juncos’s growing team in the Road to Indy ladder system. The partnership demonstrated Daly’s raw talent and Juncos’s ability to develop promising drivers.
Their early success together laid groundwork for future collaborations, though Daly would first pursue opportunities in Europe before establishing himself in IndyCar with teams like Dale Coyne Racing.
Early Karting Days And Initial Connection With Ricardo Juncos
Daly’s first encounters with Ricardo Juncos date back to his karting days, when the Argentinian team owner was building his reputation in American motorsport.
Juncos, who emigrated from Argentina, brought extensive karting expertise that resonated with young drivers like Daly.
These formative experiences established a mutual respect that would later factor into Daly’s return to Juncos Hollinger Racing for the 2025 season.
Ricardo Juncos’s hands-on coaching approach with young drivers created lasting bonds with talents like Daly. This relationship exemplifies the tight-knit nature of motorsport, where early connections often influence career trajectories years later.
Recent Achievements
Conor Daly’s return to Juncos Hollinger Racing marks a significant chapter in both his career and the team’s development in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. His recent accomplishments with JHR demonstrate why the partnership has proven valuable for both parties.
JHR’s First-Ever Podium Finish At Milwaukee Mile In 2024
Daly delivered a breakthrough moment for Juncos Hollinger Racing during the 2024 season with a third-place finish at The Milwaukee Mile during Labor Day weekend.
This historic result represented JHR’s first-ever podium in INDYCAR competition, cementing Daly’s value to the growing team.
The performance at Milwaukee wasn’t just luck—it showcased Daly’s particular prowess on oval tracks. His technical feedback and race craft on the challenging one-mile oval helped the team optimize their setup throughout the weekend.
JHR’s performance at Milwaukee demonstrated how quickly the relatively young team has developed into a competitive force at various track types, not just road courses where they initially showed promise.
Impressive Performance In 2024 IndyCar Season
Throughout the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES campaign, Daly consistently delivered strong results that ultimately led to his full-time return for 2025.
His adaptability proved valuable across different track configurations.
Daly particularly shined at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, where both he and JHR have historically performed well. His experience with tire management became especially crucial during races where degradation played a significant factor.
At Iowa Speedway, another challenging oval, Daly secured a top-12 finish that further demonstrated his consistency on ovals. His feedback helped JHR engineers make crucial setup adjustments between practice sessions and races.
Notable Indy 500 Performances With Multiple Top-10 Finishes
The Indianapolis 500 has been a showcase event throughout Daly’s career, with several impressive performances at the historic 2.5-mile oval.
His experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway makes him particularly valuable to JHR’s program for the crown jewel event.
Daly has amassed multiple top-10 finishes at the Indianapolis 500 throughout his career, demonstrating his ability to navigate the complex strategy and high-pressure environment of the greatest spectacle in racing.
His versatility and competitive spirit have been evident at Indianapolis, where he’s shown both the patience needed for the 500-mile distance and the aggression required to move through the field when necessary. This combination of skills makes him a dark horse contender whenever he takes the green flag at the Brickyard.
The 2025 Season Outlook
Conor Daly’s return to Juncos Hollinger Racing marks a pivotal moment for both driver and team as they aim to build on momentum from late 2024. The team has made strategic moves to strengthen their foundation while targeting specific improvements on road courses.
Partnership With Teammate Sting Ray Robb
The chemistry between Daly and Sting Ray Robb will be crucial for JHR’s development in 2025.
Robb, entering his second year with the team, showed promising signs during 2024, particularly at Road America where he finished an impressive fourth in the Firestone Grand Prix.
Daly, now settled in the No. 78 car, brings veteran experience that complements Robb’s growing talent. The two drivers have already demonstrated effective data sharing during Daly’s partial 2024 season.
Their contrasting driving styles—Daly’s aggressive approach versus Robb’s smoother technique—give engineers valuable feedback across different track conditions. This driver pairing represents one of the more balanced lineups in the midfield teams.
Team’s Commitment To Building Stronger Foundation
Juncos Hollinger Racing has invested heavily in infrastructure and personnel heading into 2025.
After Romain Grosjean’s unexpected departure, the team pivoted quickly by promoting Daly to full-time status, demonstrating their adaptive management approach.
The engineering department has been bolstered with two key hires from larger teams, bringing championship-winning experience to JHR’s technical group. Their Indianapolis workshop has also expanded, adding new simulation tools that were previously unavailable to the team.
Team principal Ricardo Juncos has been vocal about their methodical approach to growth—refusing to rush expansion but instead focusing on solidifying each aspect of the operation. This strategy aims to ensure long-term stability rather than pursuing flashy but unsustainable results.
Focus On IMS Road Course Success
The team has identified the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course as a key target for improvement in 2025.
Both Daly and JHR have historically struggled at this venue despite its importance in the IndyCar calendar.
Special testing programs were conducted during the off-season specifically addressing the unique demands of the IMS road layout.
Daly has been outspoken about aiming to win not just at the Indianapolis 500 but showing competitive pace at all IMS events.
The team’s data analysis revealed specific setup deficiencies that hampered performance in previous seasons. Engineers have developed new damper programs targeting the bumpy sections between turns 7-10 where both drivers previously lost significant time.
With three races scheduled at IMS in 2025, strong performance at this venue alone could dramatically improve their championship standing.
Career Renaissance
Conor Daly‘s path through IndyCar has been anything but straightforward, marked by challenges that would have ended many racing careers. Yet his resilience has led to what many consider a remarkable second act in American open-wheel racing.
Journey Through Various Teams And Comeback Stories
Daly’s career resembles a racing circuit itself—full of twists, turns, and occasional pit stops.
After bouncing between several teams including Ed Carpenter Racing, Daly found himself in precarious territory multiple times.
The Indiana native has shown remarkable tenacity, consistently finding his way back to the grid when opportunities seemed exhausted. His 115 career IndyCar starts through 2024 tell a story of persistence rarely seen in modern motorsport.
What makes Daly’s journey compelling isn’t just survival but his ability to deliver when given the chance. His late-season call-up to Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2024 breathed new life into his career, culminating in the team’s first-ever podium finish.
Transition From Part-Time To Full-Time Racing
Daly’s career has long been characterized by partial seasons and one-off drives. This patchwork approach required extraordinary mental fortitude. He never knew if each race might be his last in the series.
The 2024 mid-season call to take over the No. 78 car at Juncos Hollinger Racing presented a critical opportunity. Daly seized it with both hands. He delivered performances that convinced the team’s leadership of his long-term value.
For 2025, Daly has secured what many thought impossible—a full-time return to IndyCar competition. This marks his first complete season with JHR and represents a significant shift from the uncertainty that plagued previous years of his career.
Team Leadership’s Confidence In Daly’s Abilities
The decision to bring Daly back for 2025 wasn’t charity—it was recognition of his unique skill set and determination. Team principal Ricardo Juncos has been particularly vocal about Daly’s technical feedback and race craft.
Daly’s versatility across different track types has made him valuable to a growing team. He’s particularly noted for his oval racing abilities, where his fearlessness and technical understanding translate to competitive performances.
The team’s willingness to build a long-term strategy with Daly in the mix represents a profound shift in his professional trajectory. For a driver whose career has been defined by short-term opportunities, this vote of confidence is significant.
Team Development
Juncos Hollinger Racing has transformed significantly since partnering with Conor Daly for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Their strategic decisions reflect a commitment to building a more competitive team.
JHR’s Evolution As A Competitive Force
Juncos Hollinger Racing has come a long way since its 2021 founding by Ricardo Juncos and Brad Hollinger. The team has steadily built its presence in the IndyCar paddock. They’ve moved from part-time participation to fielding a full two-car operation.
The addition of Conor Daly represents a significant milestone in JHR’s development. With Daly bringing his veteran experience alongside teammate Sting Ray Robb, the team now balances youth and experience in its driver lineup.
JHR’s technical partnership with Chevrolet has proven crucial for their development trajectory. The manufacturer’s power units and engineering support have helped the small team punch above its weight against established powerhouses like Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Meyer Shank Racing.
Brad Hollinger’s Perspective On Daly’s Impact
Team co-owner Brad Hollinger has been particularly vocal about Daly’s importance to the organization. “Conor brings a wealth of knowledge that simply can’t be manufactured overnight,” Hollinger has stated in team communications.
Hollinger believes Daly’s feedback and development abilities will accelerate the team’s engineering progress. Having competed across multiple racing disciplines including NASCAR, Daly brings a unique perspective to car setup and race strategy.
The Juncos Hollinger Racing lineup now features complementary driving styles that provide engineers with more comprehensive data. Hollinger has emphasized how this diversity of input helps the team develop more versatile setups that work across various track types.
Team’s Strategic Approach For 2025 Season
For the 2025 campaign, JHR has implemented a targeted development program. This program focuses on three key areas:
- Improved qualifying performance – historically a weak point
- Enhanced pit stop efficiency through additional crew training
- More aggressive race strategies leveraging Daly’s experience
The team recently made headlines when Daly switched from his traditional number to the #76 due to sponsorship arrangements. This flexibility demonstrates JHR’s commercial savvy and willingness to adapt.
JHR’s technical director has outlined a progressive development schedule. This schedule will introduce major updates at strategic points throughout the season. Unlike larger teams, they’ve opted for fewer, more significant upgrades rather than continuous small changes.
