Rinus VeeKay Bio
Rinus van Kalmthout, known professionally as Rinus VeeKay, is a Dutch racing driver born on 11 September 2000 in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. He competes in the IndyCar Series, where he has built a reputation as a fast and resilient open-wheel talent since his debut in 2020. After stints with Ed Carpenter Racing and Dale Coyne Racing, he is set to drive for Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2026.
Early Life and Background
Rinus VeeKay was raised in Hoofddorp, a city in the North Holland province of the Netherlands, where motorsport is part of a deep regional tradition. He first sat in a kart at a young age, beginning his competitive career in 2009 as an eight-year-old cadet driver. Racing under his family name, he quickly produced results on Dutch karting circuits, winning the 4-stroke cadet championship during the 2009 to 2010 winter season. He later captured Dutch and Benelux Briggs & Stratton World Formula titles, as well as a Dutch Rotax Max Junior championship.
Throughout his teenage years, VeeKay balanced school with an increasingly demanding karting schedule, racing against older and more experienced drivers across Europe. In 2014, his early promise was recognized by the Royal Dutch Automobile Federation, KNAF, when he received the KNAF Talent First award. This honor helped confirm that a path into professional single-seater racing was a realistic next step for the young Dutchman.
Path to IndyCar
VeeKay moved from karts to cars by joining Pabst Racing for the 2017 U.S. F2000 Championship, where he immediately won six races and finished second overall to Oliver Askew. The following year, he captured the Pro Mazda Championship with Juncos Racing, and in 2019 he stepped up to Indy Lights with the same team, again finishing second in the standings behind Askew. Across 2018 and 2019, he also won the F3 Asian Winter Series, sharpening his race craft on international circuits.
His strong junior results attracted attention from IndyCar teams, and in July 2019 he was invited to test with Ed Carpenter Racing at Portland International Raceway. On 20 November 2019, the team officially signed him as a full-time driver for the 2020 season, replacing Spencer Pigot. The deal gave the Dutch teenager a direct path to North America’s premier open-wheel series.
Rinus VeeKay Career
Early Career (2017 to 2019)
VeeKay’s first season in cars came in 2017 with Pabst Racing in U.S. F2000, where he scored six victories and established himself as a leading young American open-wheel prospect. He supplemented his domestic program with selected rounds of the MRF Challenge in India and the Middle East, gaining valuable experience on road courses and ovals. In 2018, he graduated to Pro Mazda with Juncos Racing and won the championship in his rookie season.
For 2019, VeeKay remained with Juncos Racing and moved into Indy Lights, the official IndyCar feeder series. He recorded multiple wins and podiums and once again finished the year second in the championship, this time behind his longtime rival Oliver Askew. Across the 2018 and 2019 seasons he also won the F3 Asian Winter Series, reinforcing his reputation as one of the strongest junior talents in international open-wheel racing.
Ed Carpenter Racing Years (2020 to 2024)
VeeKay made his IndyCar debut in the 2020 Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, where an opening-lap incident ended his race early. Despite a difficult rookie season marked by crashes, mechanical setbacks, and a frightening airborne launch by Colton Herta at Iowa Speedway, he secured his first top-five finish at the Indianapolis Grand Prix and his first podium at the Harvest Grand Prix. His performances were strong enough to earn the 2020 IndyCar Rookie of the Year award.
In 2021, VeeKay broke through with his first IndyCar victory at the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, finishing five seconds clear of Romain Grosjean. He rose as high as fourth in the championship standings, took a runner-up finish in Detroit, and appeared headed for a breakout season before a cycling accident fractured his clavicle and forced him to miss the Road America race. He finished the year 12th in the standings, a result he matched in 2022. After the 2024 campaign, Ed Carpenter Racing parted ways with him in a decision he described as a surprise.
Dale Coyne Racing Era (2025)
On 14 February 2025, VeeKay was confirmed as the final driver on the IndyCar grid when he signed a late deal to race the No. 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing. After a challenging start to the season, he secured his place in the Indianapolis 500 through Last Chance Qualifying, narrowly beating teammate Jacob Abel. His strongest run of the year came on 20 July 2025, when he finished second at the Grand Prix of Toronto for his first IndyCar podium in nearly three years. Shortly after the season finale, reports indicated that VeeKay had parted ways with Dale Coyne Racing.
Juncos Hollinger Racing (2026 to Present)
On 14 October 2025, Juncos Hollinger Racing announced that VeeKay would join the team on a full-time basis for the 2026 IndyCar Series, taking over the No. 76 entry. The move reunited him with the Juncos organization that helped develop him during his 2018 Pro Mazda and 2019 Indy Lights campaigns. VeeKay arrives at the team with momentum, a recent podium, and renewed motivation to climb back toward the front of the IndyCar field.
Driving Style and Strengths
VeeKay is recognized for his aggressive qualifying pace and his confidence on road and street circuits, where his car control and willingness to attack corners have produced his best results. He has shown an ability to adapt quickly to new cars and teams, which has been valuable as he has moved through multiple IndyCar organizations in a short span. His partnership with engineers at each team has produced consistent top-ten pace on a variety of track types, and his race-day aggression often creates passing opportunities others cannot find.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2021 GMR Grand Prix victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course stands as his signature IndyCar win to date. The 2025 Grand Prix of Toronto podium marked an important emotional return to the front of the field after years of rebuilding. Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 through Last Chance Qualifying in 2025 also highlighted his ability to perform under extreme pressure at the sport’s biggest race.
Rinus VeeKay Career Wins
Rinus VeeKay has built a record in junior formulae that includes the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship, the 2018 to 2019 F3 Asian Winter Series, and a 2017 U.S. F2000 season with six victories. In IndyCar, his most notable win came at the 2021 GMR Grand Prix, while his most recent podium was a runner-up finish at the 2025 Grand Prix of Toronto. The following series results reflect his confirmed performances.
IndyCar Series Highlights
VeeKay’s lone IndyCar victory came in dominant fashion at the 2021 GMR Grand Prix, where he led from the front and won by five seconds. He has added two more podiums since, with his most recent being a second-place finish in Toronto in 2025. Across his IndyCar career, he has also been a regular threat in qualifying, earning multiple front-row starting positions.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside IndyCar, VeeKay was a multi-time karting champion in the Netherlands, including Dutch and Benelux titles in the Briggs & Stratton World Formula class. He captured the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship and the 2018 to 2019 F3 Asian Winter Series, and he scored six wins in the 2017 U.S. F2000 Championship.
Rinus VeeKay Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
VeeKay comes from a family in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, where karting is a popular entry point for young drivers. He has credited his parents and local Dutch karting community for supporting his move from national karting circuits to American open-wheel racing at a young age.
Personal Life
Born and raised in the Netherlands, VeeKay relocated to the United States to pursue his professional racing career and has been based there since his junior formula years. Information about his marital status is not publicly verified at this time.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 IndyCar season was a year of transition for Rinus VeeKay, as he joined Dale Coyne Racing for the full campaign in the No. 18 car. The deal was finalized late, on 14 February 2025, giving him limited preseason preparation compared with rivals. He battled through a difficult opening stretch before finding consistency in the summer months.
One of the defining moments came during Indianapolis 500 qualifying, where VeeKay needed Last Chance Qualifying to lock himself into the field, edging teammate Jacob Abel for the final spot. He later produced his best result of the year on 20 July 2025, finishing second at the Grand Prix of Toronto for his first IndyCar podium since 2022. The runner-up result signaled that his pace and confidence had returned.
Despite the late-season progress, VeeKay and Dale Coyne Racing parted ways shortly after the finale, opening the door for his move to Juncos Hollinger Racing for 2026. The season ended on a high note personally, with renewed momentum and a clear plan for the next chapter of his IndyCar career.
