Sting Ray Robb reflects on big Indy 500 "What if"

Sting Ray Robb experienced at the 2024 Indy 500 what many young IndyCar drivers only dream of. The then-A J Foyt Racing driver led 23 laps of the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing" across four stints in what felt like one of his biggest early career achievements.

The first of those four stints arrived after Katherine Legge's blown engine brought out the race's second caution. A bunch of drivers pitted under this caution while Robb stayed out. Unfortunately, he couldn't sustain it when racing resumed as his new 2025 Juncos Hollinger Racing teammate Conor Daly overtook him for the lead. He momentarily retook the lead in lap 33 before pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin snatched it.

The Daly-Robb situation reversed after the fourth caution of the race, which came about after Felix Rosenqvist's engine failed. Sting Ray Robb overtook Daly for the lead once racing resumed and sustained the lead for 12 laps. The Idaho native's last leading stint came around lap 144 with seven more laps added to the tally.

Robb, ahead of his first season with Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2025, reflected on that special day in May 2024, when he was the third driver with the most laps led behind McLaughlin (66 laps) and race winner Josef Newgarden (26 laps). He said via @IndyCarRadio on X:

"That track picks the winner, and I got to experience it that day. (It) didn't pick us, but at least we got a taste of it for a little while. I like to tell people after the event, 'What if?' (They say) 'You finished 16th, what do you mean what if?' But that's kind of the fun of it. Indy 500 really is a 'What if?' race."

Robb spoke about how close his team was to glory at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway that day and also elaborated on his battles for the race lead with Conor Daly, who was on a similar pit-stop strategy.

"We were close, we were close to making it happen. Conor Daly actually ironically, and I, were both kind of on that similar strategy. He made it work pitting a bit earlier than we did when we were on that last yellow," the 23-year-old said.

Sting Ray Robb eventually finished 16th when the checkered flag came out.

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Sting Ray Robb aims to create success by building on his longstanding relationship with Juncos Hollinger Racing

Toronto Honda Indy 2019. Indy Pro 2000 - Source: Getty

Sting Ray Robb's relationship with Juncos Hollinger Racing dates back to when the team wasn't even competing full-time in IndyCar. Robb raced for the Argentinian-American team for two years in the Indy Pro 2000 championship in 2019 and 2020.

In his first year with them (and his third in the championship), he recorded a career-best fourth-place finish in the standings. In 2020, Robb one-upped himself to take the championship trophy home with seven wins in the season. Ahead of his 2025 campaign with JHR, he fondly spoke of their past and the reunion.

"Well, I spent three years with them. I also won a championship with them back in 2020 and then we were promoted to Indy NXT together after winning that scholarship. So I kind of built my career on the success that I had with them and that's what eventually propelled me on to IndyCar," he said via @IndyCarRadio on X.

Sting Ray Robb will pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet for Juncos Hollinger Racing when IndyCar makes its way to the season opener at St. Petersburg on March 2.