Quiet star Veekay takes seventh at Gateway

Quiet star Veekay takes seventh at Gateway

For the fourth time in this NTT IndyCar Series season, Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout has managed to claim a top-ten finish, as the 24-year-old Dutchman crossed the finish line in seventh after 260 fiercely contested laps of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500.

 

Following two challenging weekends at Indianapolis and Detroit, where VeeKay demonstrated strong race pace but was twice denied a good result due to technical issues, the Dutchman prepared for the second oval race of the year. The eighth race of the season, taking place during the third weekend of June, was scheduled at the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois (IndyCar cites neighbouring St. Louis, Missouri for commercial reasons).

 

 

VeeKay has previously performed well on the short oval formerly known as Gateway – in his rookie year, he passed four rivals around the outside en route to a fourth-place finish, before going on to consistently finish in the top ten in more recent editions. However, during Saturday’s qualifying, things didn’t quite work out, with VeeKay having to settle for 18th on the grid. Nevertheless, on Sunday, things started to turn around.

 

While he initially struggled to find his rhythm, the #18 askROI.com Dale Coyne Racing Honda came to life during the second stint of the 260-lap race. Gradually, the IndyCar race winner worked his way forward and was close to the top ten by the halfway point. VeeKay kept his cool in chaotic conditions, as he was in the front-row seats when Louis Foster and Josef Newgarden heavily collided just ahead him.

 

The blue and white car with the number 18 stayed out of trouble, however, although things got tense with David Malukas during one of the restarts, as the American bumped into VeeKay’s car, forcing the Dutchman to slow down in order to avoid a crash. After a late splash-and-dash, VeeKay made his mark by passing championship leader Alex Palou to cross the finish line in seventh place.

 

This is VeeKay’s fourth top-ten finish of 2025, following two ninths at St. Petersburg and the Indy Grand Prix, and a fourth at Barber Motorsports Park. The Dutchman can now add a seventh to his tally. Kyle Kirkwood won the race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

 

 

“A very good result,” VeeKay rejoiced. “This was my first short oval race with Dale Coyne Racing, and we drove from 18th to seventh place. I took risks when I had to, and I’m satisfied with the result. We started the race with a car that was a bit too loose, which made it difficult to attack. That’s where I had to cut my losses, so we fine-tuned the setup until it was just right.”

 

“We really pulled this race off! The last stint was crucial – I had great speed and was able to use the high line offensively. It was hard but fair racing, and I enjoyed it. What’s more, the artificial lights added an extra dimension — IndyCar should hold more evening races, they're really spectacular. This result is twice as satisfying, given the mechanical problems we've had in recent races.”

 

“Now we’re travelling on to Elkhart Lake, where we’ll be racing at the Road America circuit this weekend. It’s my favourite track on the IndyCar calendar. I’m really looking forward to it, I think we can achieve another good result there,” VeeKay concluded.

 

The next race in the NTT IndyCar Series takes place this Sunday when the XPEL Grand Prix is on the programme, with the iconic Road America circuit providing the venue. The ninth race of the year will start at around 7:30pm Dutch time.