Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout concluded his fifth participation in the Indianapolis 500 with a respectable ninth place. The 23-year-old Dutchman had to fight from start to finish but managed to hold his ground in the leading group.
“Beforehand, I set myself the goal to get everything out of it, and I ultimately did.”
Rinus ‘Veekay’ van Kalmthout – IndyCar driver at Ed Carpenter Racing
The fifth race of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is the most important of the year: the 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an oval that suits VeeKay particularly well. After an eventful qualifying weekend, VeeKay, driver of the #21 askROI.com Chevrolet, started the legendary race from seventh position, on the inside of the third row.
While Ed Carpenter Racing has historically guaranteed a fast car on the Indianapolis oval, this year it’s the Penske and McLaren cars that dominate. A seventh starting position was the maximum for VeeKay, who also had to fight back after a qualifying crash. The goal for the race was a top ten finish, though there was, of course, hope for more. After all, Indianapolis chooses its own winners, and in a crazy race, the favorite doesn’t always have to win.
In the opening stages of the 200-lap race, which was delayed by four hours due to rain, VeeKay kept pace with the leaders. The Dutchman effortlessly maintained his seventh position, only losing places after a slightly slower first pit stop. During the second pit stop, VeeKay touched a competitor, resulting in a penalty from the race officials – the Dutchman was sent to the back of the field. Subsequently, the single IndyCar winner and his team opted for an alternative strategy.
This move paid off. VeeKay drove a strong final phase, moving up quickly from the last place to eventually cross the finish line in a solid ninth position. The 108th edition of the Indianapolis 500 was won by Penske driver Josef Newgarden, marking his second consecutive Indy 500 victory. For VeeKay, the ninth-place finish meant his third top-ten result in five participations in the world-famous race.
“Beforehand, I set myself the goal to get everything out of it, and I ultimately did,” VeeKay said from Indianapolis. “While I was in the slipstream of the fast cars, they drove away from me. As a result, I couldn’t make any moves for the absolute top positions in the final phase. Every race car driver comes here to win, but I can be content with this ninth place.”
“The first two pit stops weren’t perfect, but after that, it went really well,” the ECR driver continued. “We overtook quite a few opponents thanks to our strategy. I found the penalty that followed the tap in the pit lane a bit harsh. The opponent who received the tap was barely hindered by it. In all honesty, however, that penalty did not affect the final result, as I wouldn’t have won the race even without it.”
“I look somewhat enviously at winner Josef Newgarden, but I know I drove strongly myself. In the end, it took Josef twelve years to win, and he’s won it again this year. In that regard, I can continue for a while! If I can maintain the mindset I had during this edition of the Indy 500, I’m convinced that this race will eventually come my way.”
The drivers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES don’t have to sit still. The action continues next week with the sixth race of the year, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. This race starts next Sunday, June 2, around 18:30 Dutch time and can be followed live via Ziggo Sport Racing.
