Rinus VeeKay delivered an encore efficiency and as soon as once more took the battle to IndyCar’s finest en path to a fourth-place end at Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
After beginning sixth within the #76 Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) Chevrolet, the Dutchman leaned on an aggressive tire technique by beginning on the softer alternate (pink sidewall) tires. He rapidly jumped up two spots on the opening lap and was among the many first to dive to pit lane, swapping to the popular more durable main (black sidewall tires) as soon as the three-stop window opened for the 90-lap race.
By the point the second pit window cycled out, VeeKay was operating third and stalking the juggernaut duo of Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard. Whereas a shot to upset all the pieces was derailed by a gradual closing cease, VeeKay was nonetheless in a position to fend off the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of reigning and four-time IndyCar Collection champion Alex Palou to safe the primary spot off the rostrum.
“The crew did an excellent job,” mentioned VeeKay, 25. “We made a great technique plan beforehand. We knew the pink tires have been gonna be exhausting to carry on to. It was overcast to begin the race, so we determined to begin on these reds, get some spots at the beginning, which I did. That was good. After which as soon as the three-stop window opened, we ditched them and went for clear observe on the blacks, so actually good pit cycles there. Actually good pit stops by the crew.”
The outing marked the second fourth-place end result for VeeKay and JHR during the last three race weekends, matching the efficiency at Highway America. Moreover, it marks one of the best end result for JHR on a highway course since Romain Grosjean secured the identical end at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca through the 2024 season.
VeeKay, within the midst of his seventh season in North America’s premier open-wheel championship however first on the prime flight with JHR, now has two prime fives and 4 prime 10 finishes on the yr, elevating him to eleventh within the championship standings; he sits simply three factors behind Andretti International’s Marcus Ericsson for tenth.
With VeeKay presently on a one-year deal, his title has been amongst a number of throughout IndyCar’s ‘foolish season’ that has already seen exceptional modifications, such because the confirmed departure of six-time IndyCar Collection champion Scott Dixon from Chip Ganassi Racing at season’s finish.
In brief, ending simply off a podium that was occupied by O’Ward, Lundgaard, and Andretti International’s Kyle Kirkwood received’t damage VeeKay’s future plans, however for now, he was extra targeted on the end result at Mid-Ohio’s 13-turn, 2.258-mile pure terrain highway course.
“Sadly, we bought beat on the ultimate one,” VeeKay mentioned. “However at the moment we confirmed – the pretty small group that we’re – that after we run up entrance, we will run with the large guys.”
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