Siegel got into car #78 immediately after getting out of his NXT vehicle on Friday. Juncos Hollinger Racing made an announcement just before the start of the first practice session that Nolan Siegel would be driving car #78 in the IndyCar race this weekend at Road America.
Siegel is replacing Agustin Canapino, who was involved in an unfortunate situation last week related to threats made by his fans towards Theo Pourchaire. Dealing with this situation has been a major focus in recent days, including Canapino’s liking of social media posts that seemed to encourage the threats and his own post that downplayed the idea of his fans threatening other drivers.
Arrow McLaren expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation and ended their business relationship with JHR a few days ago. With Canapino being removed from the car just an hour before the start of practice, the consequences are becoming increasingly serious.
The JHR statement read: “Nolan Siegel will be driving car #78 in place of Agustin Canapino, who will be taking a break for this weekend’s Xpel Grand Prix. The online abuse and harassment that arose from this week’s events have created a very challenging situation for Agustin, the team, and the entire IndyCar fan base. The safety of Agustin and the other competitors must be the top priority. Any form of abuse, hate, and harassment is detrimental to this sport, and we must prioritize the mental and physical well-being of our drivers and competitors. Juncos Hollinger Racing is working closely with IndyCar to promote a more inclusive community for our fans, drivers, and team members, aiming to make IndyCar a welcoming sport for all.”
Brad Hollinger, co-owner of JHR, also issued a statement stating: “Online abuse is unacceptable, and we must ensure that our drivers are mentally and physically prepared when they are behind the wheel. We are saddened by the events that led to this situation.”
There were no statements from Brad Hollinger or Ricardo Juncos last week, with the latter being the first attribution to them. Canapino is present at the track this weekend and was seen filming promotional videos and signing autographs in the paddock area on Friday. Apparently, he planned to race until Friday afternoon.
Siegel started his weekend by participating in the IndyNXT practice session and then raced to the JHR garage as soon as it was over with his other vehicle. It is not clear at this time whether Siegel will compete in both the IndyNXT race and the IndyCar race this Sunday, although it is believed that he will participate in both.
