Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout has put in an impressive catch-up race during the Gallagher Grand Prix on the Road Course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The IndyCar driver is therefore delighted with a hard-fought sixth place.
VeeKay qualified eighth for the thirteenth race of the season, but knew that a good result could not be ruled out. A year earlier, he started seventh on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, before claiming his first win in the American racing class. In the opening lap, however, the 21-year-old Dutchman had to anchor full to avoid damage after a spin from Pato O’Ward, which dropped him to sixteenth place.
Catch-up race
A tight strategy and a well-watched catch-up race quickly brought VeeKay back to the front. Halfway through the session, the Ed Carpentr Racing driver was in tenth place, eventually gaining four more places on the track. “Everything we had in our hands, we executed well,” says the Hoofddorper from the United States. “My start was great, but in turn two someone was standing backwards. I couldn’t move in a direction and had to brake to avoid damage. At such a moment you can’t choose the wrong side, you have to keep your head on it. Several competitors behind could overtake me and so I had no choice but to catch up.”
Satisfied with result
And that went well in his own words: “Ed Carpenter Racing has executed a good strategy, where I am satisfied with my own input. The three Penske team cars that finished ahead of me turned out to be just a little too fast, so I am at peace with the sixth place It was only after the time that I found out that with a direct yellow for Pagenaud I would probably have taken the lead, but that sort of thing is out of my control Despite the fact that I had two bad luck moments today, after a good race finished deep in the top ten again. That makes me happy.”
Race towards the top ten
VeeKay has now collected 282 points, which means he is banging on the door of the top ten: “The number ten only has a few points more than me. I see it as a challenge to get that top ten in the last races of attack this season. We have a good flow and I think the street track in Nashville, where we race next week, is very cool. I aim to get a good ranking on that track again,” it sounds.
