By Christian Koelle, Staff Writer
NASHVILLE – Rinus VeeKay will return to Ed Carpenter Racing in 2023 and beyond, the organization announced on Friday, August 5th.
The Hoofddorp, Netherlands native is currently racing in his third NTT Data IndyCar Series season and has tallied a total of one victory at the Indianapolis Road Course in 2021. He’s earned four podium finishes in 42 starts including a runner-up finish at Belle Isle in 2021 and a third-place finish twice at the Indianapolis Road Course in 2020 and most recently Barber Motorsports Park earlier this year.
“I am very excited to continue with Ed Carpenter Racing for what will be my fourth year in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES! Ed Carpenter gave me the opportunity to drive for the team when I came out of Indy Lights and has let me showcase my talents in an Indy car ever since,” VeeKay stated in the release. “The continuity at ECR is great, there have barely been any changes in my time here and it’s very nice to have the same group of people around me all the time. We have been stepping up our game every season and with the support of Todd Ault and BitNile, we can really move forward as we head into 2023.”
VeeKay has a combined 33 laps led in the Indianapolis 500 including a lap in the 2022 edition and looked strong before an accident put him behind the wall after just 38 laps.
With VeeKay returning to the team in 2023 and beyond, he’s spent the longest time as a full-time driver with the organization. VeeKay has done nothing but improve during his time racing with ECR finishing 14th in 2020, 13th in 2021, and is currently 11th this season. Two-time NTT Data IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden, who moved from ECR to Team Penske in 2017, currently holds the best ECR points finish of fourth in 2016.
With the announcement out of the way, VeeKay will set his focus on Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in downtown Nashville. VeeKay finished 24th in last year’s Music City Grand Prix after starting 22nd. He’s currently just three points behind Colton Herta, who’s 10th points, and sits 149-points behind points leader Will Power.