Dale Coyne Racing (DCR) is interested in keeping Rinus Veekay on their roster for the 2026 IndyCar season, following the Dutch driver’s strong performances this year. Veekay, who has also been mentoring rookie teammate Jacob Abel, has become one of the team’s most valuable assets.
Veekay’s journey during the 2025 season has been remarkable. He was the last driver signed among the 27 entrants, securing a spot on the grid less than a month before the season opener in St. Petersburg. Despite the late signing, the 24-year-old immediately showed his potential by qualifying 12th and finishing 9th in the race, a notable achievement given it was his first event in a Honda-powered car after five years driving Chevrolet-powered cars for Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR).
Throughout the season, Veekay notched four more Top 10 finishes, including a Top 5 result. His highlight came in Toronto, where he reached the podium for the first time in over three years, marking DCR’s first podium finish since 2023.
DCR owner Dale Coyne recently addressed Veekay’s contract prospects in an interview with RACER. He indicated confidence in retaining the driver for next season, saying:
“I think it will. Like I’ve been saying, I don’t think we’re going to see many changes next year. We just saw (Marcus) Armstrong’s going to continue with Meyer Shank, so he’s staying put.”
Coyne also set expectations for when DCR’s driver lineup for 2026 will be finalized:
“I think you’ll know our two drivers long before Halloween (October 31).”
Veekay’s Past and Uncertainty Around His Future at Dale Coyne Racing
Rinus Veekay competed with Ed Carpenter Racing for five seasons from 2019 through 2024. Despite outperforming his teammate Christian Rasmussen in 2024, ECR replaced Veekay with Alexander Rossi, the 2016 Indy 500 winner, for the 2025 season. This transition led Veekay to join Dale Coyne Racing for 2025, where he has quickly established himself as a frontrunner within the team.
Rinus Veekay Awaits Will Power’s Decision Before Finalizing 2026 Plans
After Veekay’s podium finish in Toronto, he discussed his 2026 contract situation on Conor Daly’s podcast, Speed Street. He acknowledged increased interest from other teams, leaving him reluctant to commit to Dale Coyne Racing immediately. Additionally, Veekay emphasized that his decision is influenced heavily by two-time IndyCar champion <a href="https://www.big14news.com/tag/will-power/”>Will Power’s plans, as Power’s contract with Team Penske expires after the 2025 season.
Veekay commented on his current situation:
“Of course, Dale and me too are very interested in working with each other again in the future and next year, But I need to see what my options are right now. My stock has been pretty good. It’s gone up quite considerably. You know, I am hearing some chatter around, but it’s still not clear what the silly season is gonna bring.”
When asked about specific rumors influencing his decisions, Veekay added:
“I think we’re all waiting for Will Power to make his move. That’s gonna shuffle the board game.”
Team Penske is set to announce Power’s future following the IndyCar season finale in Nashville, slated for the final weekend of August 2025. Power’s decision is expected to trigger a series of driver movements across the series, including potential finalization of Veekay’s 2026 contract.
Looking Ahead: How Will Power’s Choice Could Shape Veekay’s Career
The outcome of Will Power’s contract decision will be critical not only for Team Penske but also for Rinus Veekay’s career path. Should Power step aside or move to another team, roster spots will open, creating opportunities that could affect Veekay’s contract decisions and potential team changes. Dale Coyne Racing’s owner has indicated readiness to finalize driver selections by late October, but the driver market remains fluid and dependent on key announcements.
Overall, the developments in the next few months promise to be significant for Veekay’s future in IndyCar, with his 2026 contract hinging on these pivotal moves within the sport.
