Ricardo Juncos, from abroad in 2001 with $400 to give Canapino a shot at IndyCar

Like so many other Argentines, he sought a better way abroad with the money his grandmother lent him. Today, he leads the team that added a reef for the category’s 2023 season.

The IndyCar from the United States there will be a representative of Argentina and his name is Agustín Canapino. After becoming one of the most successful drivers in national motorsports, the arreciefeño will leave for the North American category at the hands of Juncos Hollinger Racing. This group is led by Ricardo Juncosan Argentine who -like many others- immigrated to the United States after the crisis in 2001 with only 400 dollars in his pocket and who now leads the group that will provide Titan.

The crisis of 2001 and the 400 dollars borrowed deposited by Ricardo Juncos in the United States

In January 2002, Juncos had a workshop at Puente La Noria. The economic crisis that was unleashed on the country a month before hit the Argentines and Juncos was preparing to finish the remaining pieces that he and his brother had. and collect the latest work done. there, He suffered a violent armed robbery and made the decision that many others have made: emigrate in search of a better destination abroad.

That factory has been his home -literally- since 1996, as he admitted to the media The race in 2021: “We used to sleep on the business floor during those years. When I tell the story, I remember all the sacrifices and things that made it difficult to get here, enough is enough. I see all the success, but I also see the sacrifice and what happened to us, what we went through that no one knows.. Everything is good now but I always say that if only I knew the things I had to go through and If you told me now that I’d have to reboot and do all that, I don’t know if I’d really want to do it.“. However, in 2001 he said enough and looked for a new opportunity in the United States.

“At that moment, I decided to go anywhere. Since my mother had a friend in Miami, I called her, bought the ticket and went there with $400 that my grandmother had borrowed. He doesn’t speak English and has only traveled once by plane, to Corrientes“, Juncos narrated in the dialogue The country. His first job in the United States, however, was not related to motorsports: it was with an industrial carpenter who worked for a very wealthy client. “They paid me many dollars and a week in advance“, he worried.

A few moments later, He was taken on trial by a karting team and returned $400 to his grandmother. He moved into a house with seven other people and was living alone in Miami. His next steps were like mechanic on the Fittipaldi Automotive team and quickly rose within the structure to become team manager. The next hard decision came, that of start your own team.

From the hand of a Spanish friend, Juncos spent all his savings to build a karting team that, between 2003 and 2008, won 19 championship races with its own chassis.. In 2009, it was added to the category Pro Mazdathe third on the way to IndyCar. Gradually, Ricardo Juncos gets a place in American motorsports and one of his first big milestones occurred in 2017, when his team competed in the legendary Indianapolis 500. Both his team’s cars completed the race: Spencer Pigot finished the 11th and Sebastian Saavedra17th.

“What struck me from the first moment in this country is that if you break your soul and know how to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, you can prosper. Everything you want to happen in Argentina, happens here. I always trust my qualities. Also, I am self-demanding and have a mental illness for perfection.“, he pointed out in 2017 talking to The country.

Juncos Hollinger Racing and the arrival of Agustín Canapino in IndyCar

now, Hollinger Racing is in a hurry -the team leading the side Brad Hollinger in IndyCar – is already established in the category and, until last year, featured Callum Illot as a driver, a racer associated with the Ferrari Academy. By the end of 2022, Juncos contacted Agustín Canapino and offered him to participate in a test at Sebring to see if he could make the jump to IndyCar. The tests left more than positive results and what was an invitation ended up becoming a formal contract for one year for the Titan from 2023.

“Being able to break this news today is amazing for me and my team.. It’s been over 20 years since I came to North American motorsports. It has been a long road of continuous work where I have fulfilled several dreams. To see this particular dream come true is incredible. With a successful race in Argentina, (Canapino) exceeded all our expectations for him when he tested at Sebring and his talent has been confirmed by what we have seen in his driving since.“, Juncos said in the press conference to reveal Canapino as the driver of car number 78 of Juncos Hollinger Racing.

Time will tell if Canapino’s stay in IndyCar will be short or long, but the reality is that both Juncos and the reef will leave everything on the slopes to make it as successful as possible.