Rinus VeeKay will look to rebound at the track where he scored his first and only NTT IndyCar Series win to date.
The 21-year-old Dutchman appeared on his way to scoring his 2nd career victory in dominating fashion at the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama (May 1) until the final set of green-flag pit stops on lap 61 of the 90-lap event.
VeeKay, who started from the pole and remained in top form during practice, led a race-high 57 laps and held a 2-second lead over eventual winner Pato O’Ward. However, while coming into pit lane for the final set of green-flag pit stops, VeeKay was held up by the slow car of Jimmie Johnson, allowing O’Ward to close the gap.
Coming out of their stalls, both drivers were nose to tail. And by turn 5, O’Ward had overtaken VeeKay and stormed away to steal the win.
Redemption is on VeeKay’s mind as IndyCar returns to the road course of “The Brickyard” in the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 14th (NBC, 3 p.m. ET).
The race will also feature the season debut of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion (2000, 2015) Juan Pablo Montoya as he teams up once again with Arrow McLaren SP.
Reminiscent of last year, the 46-year-old Columbian will run the signature black and red livery of Lucas Oil at the GMR Grand Prix.
In the 2021 running on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course, Montoya finished the 85-lap event in 25th.
LAST YEAR’S RACE
Before 25,000 socially distant fans, VeeKay led 33 laps to score his first career NTT IndyCar Series victory. Moreover, he became the youngest winner in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 20 years, 10 months old, and scored the first victory for Ed Carpenter Racing since 2016.
WHO TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND?
VeeKay isn’t the only driver looking for redemption.
Look no further than Andretti Autosport talent Romain Grosjean, who led the most laps in the first of two Indy road course races last year but wound up finishing 2nd in both events. In fact, Grosjean has 10 career podiums…
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