Photo: Chris Jones
Juncos Hollinger Racing will be back on Indy Nxt’s grid this year, and has reunited with its former driver Ricardo Escotto.
The Indianapolis-based Argentine-American team last raced in the championship in 2024, as it paused its Indy Nxt operations in February 2025 to focus on its two-car IndyCar squad. At that point it had already signed a driver for the season ahead, Paraguayan rookie MiguelMa Garcia, and they did not find a seat elsewhere.
Escotto meanwhile comes from Mexico and already knows Juncos well. Through 2023 and ’24 his main focus was the rung below, USF Pro 2000, and he claimed one and win and two other podiums. During his sophomore campaign he also made a Euroformula cameo, and stepped up to Indy Nxt with Juncos for four events.
The 21-year-old’s best qualifying result was 12th, and his best finishes were two 13th places. He remained on the grid for 2025 by joining Andretti Cape, an alliance between Andretti Global and Cape Motorsports, and came 19th in the standings after missing the last third of the season. He started the campaign by qualifying eighth, and his best race result was ninth.
“I’m super excited to be back with Juncos Hollinger Racing for the 2026 Indy Nxt season,” said Escotto. “I have a great relationship with everyone in the team and full trust that they will make this season one to remember.
“Indy Nxt offers the most competitive and direct pathway to the top level, and I’m proud to represent both JHR and Mexico on this stage. I feel more prepared and motivated than ever, and ready to make the most of this opportunity as I continue building toward my ultimate goal of racing full-time in IndyCar. I can’t wait to get started at the first test in Sebring.”
There will be a major change for IndyCar and Indy Nxt this year, as an independent officiating system is introduced through a new not-for-profit organisation called IndyCar Officiating.
It is being governed by a three-person board, which will select a managing director of officiating who will set the business’s annual budget. This figure will act with no oversight from IndyCar or parent company Penske Entertainment, and will be responsible for hiring race control and technical personnel and therefore enforcing IndyCar and Indy Nxt’s rulebooks.
“We have remained committed to independent officiating for 2026, and we are pleased to announce this next step,” said IndyCar’s president J. Douglas Boles.
“The IndyCar team owners and the FIA have selected a world-class board with high character, incredible knowledge and an intense passion for motorsports and IndyCar racing.”
While IndyCar is not an FIA-organised championship, the co-operation between motorsport’s global governing body and Penske Entertainment going forward is with the aiming of utilising the FIA’s expansive knowledge base.
“The FIA’s independent expertise in delivering consistent officiating oversight across our world championships, combined with IndyCar’s innovation and competitive spirit, will support the continued growth of the series,” commented FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem.