Rinus Veekay of Dale Coyne Racing secured an impressive second-place result at the 2025 IndyCar Toronto Grand Prix, marking his first podium in three years at the event. Starting from ninth on the grid, Veekay navigated the demanding 90-lap race on the city’s street circuit, gradually advancing through the field amid several on-track incidents.
The race featured multiple caution periods as several competitors hit the barriers, which allowed Veekay and his team to capitalize with a strategic approach. The efficiency of the Honda fuel mileage played a key role in giving them the advantage to maintain a two-stop strategy successfully.
Following the race, Veekay shared his enthusiasm during an interview with IndyCar on FOX:
“Thank you all. It was a good day, it was a really good day. We have been moving all season, but we have been coming from the back. We qualified well with ninth for this race, and I knew we could move forward, and I mean, these guys and strategy, they know what they are doing. I mean the Honda fuel mileage makes it easier to hit that two stop. It was a pleasure driving this car, and I feel like this is one of many podiums coming with this team.”
—Rinus Veekay, IndyCar Driver
This podium result not only breaks Veekay’s personal drought since his last podium at the 2022 Alabama race but also highlights a notable achievement for Dale Coyne Racing. The team’s previous podium was earned by David Malukas, who finished third at a 2023 event, underscoring Veekay’s rising momentum within the squad.
Challenging Weekend at Iowa Speedway Offers Lessons Ahead
Prior to his success in Toronto, Veekay experienced a challenging weekend at Iowa Speedway during the recent doubleheader races. Despite setbacks in qualifying that forced him to start near the back of the pack, he demonstrated relentless determination throughout both oval races.
In the first 275-lap race, Veekay began 25th and managed to gain nine positions, finishing in 16th place amid a caution-filled contest. Reflecting on the race, he commented:
“Today has been interesting. We had decent balance in practice, but when we went into qualifying, it seemed to go away. We hit the wall and had to lift, which put us starting at the back. We made a swing going into the race and ended up in a decent spot. It was hard to pass, but we moved up the field with pit stops and, honestly, just having a mistake-free day.”
—Rinus Veekay, IndyCar Driver
The second race followed a similar pattern, with Veekay moving from 26th on the grid to finish 12th, reinforcing his reputation as one of the season‘s most resilient and skilled drivers.
Looking Ahead to the Final Rounds of the 2025 IndyCar Season
With 13 rounds completed and four races remaining in the 2025 season, Rinus Veekay is focusing on building upon this strong performance to secure further top finishes. His ability to recover from difficult starting positions while maintaining consistency illustrates both his talent and the growing competitiveness of the Dale Coyne Racing team.
The Toronto podium could mark the beginning of a successful streak for Veekay, potentially impacting the team’s standings and momentum as they push toward the season’s conclusion. Fans and competitors alike will be watching closely to see if Veekay can continue this upward trajectory in the upcoming races.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What happened to Rinus VeeKay?
A. Rinus VeeKay crashed on pit road during the 2025 Indy 500. INDIANAPOLIS — On Lap 80, pit road caused issues for Rinus VeeKay, ending his 2025 Indianapolis 500. The Dutch driver was attempting to slow down for his third pit stop when the crash happened.
Q. What is Rinus VeeKay’s real name?
A. Rinus van Kalmthout, often called Rinus VeeKay, is a racing driver from the Netherlands. Born on September 11, 2000, he participates in the IndyCar Series. Rinus drives the No. 18 Dallara-Honda for the Dale Coyne Racing team.
