Rinus VeeKay

Born Rinus van Kalmthout on September 11, 2000, in the Netherlands, the future IndyCar driver would adopt the professional name Rinus VeeKay as he pursued his racing career. His journey into motorsport began at the tender age of eight when he first stepped into a kart in 2009, setting the stage for what would become a rapid ascent through the racing ranks.

VeeKay's karting foundation was built on immediate success. Starting in 2009 with a DR chassis in the 4-stroke cadet championship, the eight-year-old demonstrated natural talent by winning races and finishing second in the championship. His momentum continued through the winter season of 2009-2010, where he captured the 4-stroke cadet series title.

The young Dutchman's progression through karting was methodical and successful. After graduating to the Briggs & Stratton World Formula 4-stroke class, he claimed both the Dutch and Benelux championships. His dominance extended to the Rotax Max categories, where he won the Dutch Minimax championship in 2012 and the Junior championship in 2013. His karting career culminated with strong performances in various Rotax Max racing series through 2014 and 2015, including a second-place finish in the competitive Euro Challenge Senior class.

The transition to single-seaters came in 2017 when VeeKay signed with Carlin Benik to compete in the American-based USF2000 series. His preparation included testing the Tatuus USF-17 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he consistently ran top-ten times despite being new to both the team and category. Additional preparation came through two rounds of the French V de V Challenge Monoplace, where he achieved five podium finishes in six races driving an MP Motorsport Formula Renault 2.0 car.

VeeKay's ascent through American open-wheel racing's developmental ladder was marked by a significant achievement: winning the Pro Mazda Championship with Juncos Racing. This success earned him promotion to the Indy Lights championship for 2019, where he remained with Juncos Racing to continue his development.

The leap to IndyCar came sooner than many expected. In July 2019, VeeKay was selected to participate in an IndyCar test at Portland with Ed Carpenter Racing, a crucial opportunity that would shape his future. His performance impressed the team sufficiently that on November 20, 2019, Ed Carpenter Racing officially announced VeeKay as their new driver, replacing Spencer Pigot.

VeeKay spent five seasons with Ed Carpenter Racing from 2020 to 2024, establishing himself in the IndyCar Series. Following his tenure there, he joined Dale Coyne Racing for the 2025 season before moving to his current seat with Juncos Hollinger Racing, bringing his career full circle to the team where he achieved his Pro Mazda Championship success.