Madison, Ill. – Juncos Racing dominated the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires field this weekend, with Rinus VeeKay recording his seventh win of the season while teammate Robert Megennis took home second at Gateway Motorsports Park.
Weather played a major role in the beginning of the two-day event for the Pro Mazda Championship on the 1.25 mile oval at Gateway Motorsports Park. Rainy, cool conditions greeted teams Friday morning, postponing practice until the early evening. Rinus VeeKay recorded the fastest time overall, while teammate Robert Megennis finished in the fourth position. Qualifying was cancelled for the day and rescheduled for the following morning.
The following day the weather took a dramtic turn with very humid and hot conditions.
The Mazda Road to Indy series scheduled an additional 15-minute practice session Saturday morning for the Pro Mazda field. VeeKay would once again top the speed charts and Megennis finished fifth.
Qualifying directly followed practice. VeeKay driving the No. 2 Jumbo/Juncos Racing car qualified second and Megennis driving the No. 9 Palo Alto Networks/Juncos Racing car qualified fourth.
The weekend concluded with the 55-lap race under sunny and warm conditions. VeeKay, who started second, had a strong start jumping to the outside on Turn-1 to take the lead. Megennis followed right behind to take the second spot. Both VeeKay and Megennis would hold on to their positions for the entire race to take the checkered flag. VeeKay earned his seventh win of the season and first on an oval. Megennis picked up his fourth podium finish in a row with the second place finish.
Juncos Racing heads into the final rounds at Portland next week as the 2018 Pro Mazda Team Champions. VeeKay currently leads the Pro Mazda Drivers Championship.
Juncos Racing Team Owner Ricardo Juncos said, “This was an incredible weekend for our Pro Mazda team. Everyone did an outstanding job and we finished in the best possible positions we could have. Rinus (VeeKay) is very close to claiming the championship after this win. He has put so much work into this year and has proven he is a champion. Robert (Megennis) has done a great job as well earning his fourth podium in a row. I am very impressed with both drivers and we are looking forward to a great weekend in Portland. I want to thank the entire Juncos Racing team for all of the hard work they do, these guys are amazing. I also want to thank all of the drivers, their families, and supporters.”
Driver Quotes:
Rinus VeeKay No. 2 Jumbo/Juncos Racing: “It was a great race. I took the lead in Turn-1 on the start and then drove away from the field. I had Robert (Megennis) in my mirrors, which was comfortable for me. It was nice to have my teammate behind me to know that everything was safe. The car was also great because the team did a great job in putting together a fast car and it was great in the race. In traffic the car was amazing and I felt unstoppable. I am super happy and I cannot wait to clinch the championship in Portland.”
Robert Megennis No. 9 Palo Alto Networks/Juncos Racing: “It was a great weekend. In qualifying we ended up fourth. It wasn’t exactly where we wanted to be, but we made some changes going into the race and we nailed the car. I drove well and was able to pull away from the field. I had a great start on cold tires making it to the second position. I was chasing down Rinus (VeeKay) for the first half of the race but wasn’t able to catch him due to traffic and I think he was a little faster than me. I am super happy with another second place. It was another great race. We are going on a four-race podium streak now, so I am just going to finish off the year the best I can. Thank you to the team for an awesome car, and to my sponsor Palo Alto Networks for everything they do.”
The 2018 Pro Mazda Championship season comes to an end next weekend with Rounds 15 and 16 at Portland International Raceway.