Latest news with #Veekay
Indianapolis Star
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'It's not fun': What's the toughest injury Indy 500 drivers have raced through?
INDIANAPOLIS — Rinus Veekay won the 2021 IndyCar Grand Prix, his only victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with a broken finger. Veekay will start on the final row Sunday and believes a mid-table finish is a realistic goal. However, history at the speedway shows the Dutchman a possible path to an Indianapolis 500 victory. 'I might need to have somebody snap it again for me,' Veekay said Thursday at Indy 500 media day. Racing with an injury isn't uncommon for drivers. Takuma Sato told IndyStar Thursday that he will race the Indy 500 with a fractured rib. A crash on Day 2 of the Indy 500 open test in late April caused Sato's injury. The two-time Indy 500 champion said he is taking injections everyday before he gets in the car. 'Slowly but surely, I'm getting better,' Sato said. 'I'll be fine on race day. There is no pain because of the injections.' When asked what's the toughest injury he's raced with, Alex Palou revealed that he broke his collarbone roughly eight years ago and returned to the track three days after receiving surgery. 'It's not fun, but adrenaline helps you go through it,' Palou said. Eight days before the 2021 Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Veekay broke his collarbone. Unlike Palou, though, Veekay's injury came after he fell off a bike. Meet Mr. and Mrs. Rinus Veekay: He's racing the Indy 500. She's a pro boxer (and model) 'I barely moved my shoulder and arm for a week and everything just started cramping (on race day). It was pretty hard and wasn't ideal,' Veekay said. As he continued to reflect, Veekay was pleased with the race. 'We finished the race 16th. That was decent,' he said. Marco Andretti's performance in the 2022 Superstar Racing Experience season finale was better than decent. The 20-year IndyCar veteran broke his wrist due to an in-race crash but recovered, passing three drivers in 10 laps to secure ninth place and just enough points to win the SRX title. 'It's crazy, you can go that extra gear and it doesn't matter what's in my way,' Andretti told IndyStar. 33 things to know about Indy 500: Drivers to watch, loads of history, where Penske finishes Andretti echoed Palou and said adrenaline 'plays a big part' in persisting through the pain. As he stood on the third floor of the media building at IMS on Thursday, Andretti started grimacing as he recalled the pain he felt in his wrist post-race.
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'Not happy to bump Jacob out': Rinus Veekay gets Indy 500's final spot after risky decision
INDIANAPOLIS -- When asked about her son's decision to pull his original time with eight minutes remaining in last-chance qualifying Sunday, Rinus Veekay's mother kept her answer simple. 'He's a character,' said Evelien van Kalmthout while standing on pit lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after VeeKay secured the 33rd and final spot in the Indianapolis 500 next Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A risky move paid off as the Dutchman's average speed of 226.913 mph was enough to bump Dayle Coyne racing teammate Jacob Abel. 'I feel relief but not real happiness. Not happy to bump Jacob out,' Veekay said. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately, it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Veekay's second four-lap effort was slower than his first, in which he produced a 227.740 mph average speed. Veekay decided to pull his time because conditions were improving. After qualifying, Veekay said the risk wasn't worth it due to his time not improving and acknowledged that he was 'lucky' that Abel's time also decreased. 'I did not want to leave anything up to chance,' Veekay said. 'We did not maximize the hybrid usage on the first run, so I thought we could've done better. The car gets slower every time we go out, so it's really strange.' Veekay said the car's handling worked well, but he was unsure of what was dragging it. The team made changes to Veekay's car on Saturday in preparation for Sunday, but Veekay said none worked. The 24-year-old admitted that his team must 'check our fundamentals' to improve for the Indy 500. 'The only positive thing is that I'm in the race,' Veekay said. 'We're not quick enough and need to work on speed. We are past wing angles making us faster, I think it's something deep inside the car. I did feel better in race trim than qualifying trim, so if we can get that feel back that we had in final traffic runs, we can do well.' More: Doyel: IndyCar rookie Robert Shwartzman wins Indy 500 pole, Team Penske gets busted again Veekay had never started worse than seventh in his previous five Indy 500s. He's aware of the battle that stands before him. 'I've always had to pass all the cars at the speedway,' Veekay said. 'Right now, my only way is forward and past 32 cars if possible.'
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Marco Andretti makes Indy 500 field in last-chance qualifying. Rinus Veekay survives over Jacob Abel
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti made the field for the Indianapolis 500 in last-chance qualifying Sunday, while Rinus Veekay sweated out a last-minute run by Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel to earn the final spot on the 33-car starting grid. Marcus Armstrong, who wrecked during practice a day earlier, also made the May 25 race after Meyer Shank Racing hastily built up a replacement car Saturday. He will start between Andretti and Veekay in the middle of the final row. 'I feel relief but not real happiness,' said Veekay, who has never started worse than seventh in five previous Indy 500s. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Andretti posted a four-lap average of 229.741 mph, and Armstrong was not far off during his qualifying run. But Abel and Veekay were well off the pace, and it quickly became evident that the teammates would be battling it out for the final spot. Coyne said that he would let his two teams operate independently as they sought to make the field. Veekay's first four-lap effort produced an average of 227.740 mph, well ahead of Abel's run. But with his teammate preparing to go again, Veekay pulled his initial effort and went back to the track with about 8 minutes left in the hour-long window. That turned out to be a bad idea. Veekay went even slower — just 226.913 mph — and was left to watch nervously from pit lane as Abel went out in the final minutes of the session with a chance to bump him from the field. 'I was really afraid,' Veekay said. 'I thought that could be it.' But with a car still hot from its previous run, Abel also went slower. His speed of 226.394 mph made him the only driver that spent the past two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway who failed to make the starting grid. 'Jacob is not just my teammate. He's a really good friend,' Veekay said. 'I feel bad for him. This was going to be his first; this is my sixth. Of course it feels good to make the field, but it is the definition of bittersweet.' Abel was at a loss to explain his lack of pace. His car had been good in practice but simply didn't show up during qualifying. 'Super weird situation,' he said. 'We were fast in no-tows. We were very, very conservative. It seemed like something happened overnight Friday to Saturday and we lost speed, and it got slower and slower every run.' Meanwhile, Andretti was safely in his 20th consecutive Indy 500. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti started on the pole in 2020, but now will be starting from the deepest he's ever been in the field. 'Never thought I'd be happy with 31st but today I am,' Andretti, who finished second in his debut in 2006 and has three third-place finishes, said on social media. 'Proud of the 98 group! Now we go try to win the Indy 500!' ___
Fox Sports
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Marco Andretti makes Indy 500 field in last-chance qualifying. Rinus Veekay survives over Jacob Abel
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti made the field for the Indianapolis 500 in last-chance qualifying Sunday, while Rinus Veekay sweated out a last-minute run by Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel to earn the final spot on the 33-car starting grid. Marcus Armstrong, who wrecked during practice a day earlier, also made the May 25 race after Meyer Shank Racing hastily built up a replacement car Saturday. He will start between Andretti and Veekay in the middle of the final row. 'I feel relief but not real happiness,' said Veekay, who has never started worse than seventh in five previous Indy 500s. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Andretti posted a four-lap average of 229.741 mph, and Armstrong was not far off during his qualifying run. But Abel and Veekay were well off the pace, and it quickly became evident that the teammates would be battling it out for the final spot. Coyne said that he would let his two teams operate independently as they sought to make the field. Veekay's first four-lap effort produced an average of 227.740 mph, well ahead of Abel's run. But with his teammate preparing to go again, Veekay pulled his initial effort and went back to the track with about 8 minutes left in the hour-long window. That turned out to be a bad idea. Veekay went even slower — just 226.913 mph — and was left to watch nervously from pit lane as Abel went out in the final minutes of the session with a chance to bump him from the field. 'I was really afraid,' Veekay said. 'I thought that could be it.' But with a car still hot from its previous run, Abel also went slower. His speed of 226.394 mph made him the only driver that spent the past two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway who failed to make the starting grid. 'Jacob is not just my teammate. He's a really good friend,' Veekay said. 'I feel bad for him. This was going to be his first; this is my sixth. Of course it feels good to make the field, but it is the definition of bittersweet.' Abel was at a loss to explain his lack of pace. His car had been good in practice but simply didn't show up during qualifying. 'Super weird situation,' he said. 'We were fast in no-tows. We were very, very conservative. It seemed like something happened overnight Friday to Saturday and we lost speed, and it got slower and slower every run.' Meanwhile, Andretti was safely in his 20th consecutive Indy 500. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti started on the pole in 2020, but now will be starting from the deepest he's ever been in the field. 'Never thought I'd be happy with 31st but today I am,' Andretti, who finished second in his debut in 2006 and has three third-place finishes, said on social media. 'Proud of the 98 group! Now we go try to win the Indy 500!' ___ AP auto racing: recommended
Mint
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Marco Andretti makes Indy 500 field in last-chance qualifying. Rinus Veekay survives over Jacob Abel
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti made the field for the Indianapolis 500 in last-chance qualifying Sunday, while Rinus Veekay sweated out a last-minute run by Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel to earn the final spot on the 33-car starting grid. Marcus Armstrong, who wrecked during practice a day earlier, also made the May 25 race after Meyer Shank Racing hastily built up a replacement car Saturday. He will start between Andretti and Veekay in the middle of the final row. 'I feel relief but not real happiness,' said Veekay, who has never started worse than seventh in five previous Indy 500s. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Andretti posted a four-lap average of 229.741 mph, and Armstrong was not far off during his qualifying run. But Abel and Veekay were well off the pace, and it quickly became evident that the teammates would be battling it out for the final spot. Coyne said that he would let his two teams operate independently as they sought to make the field. Veekay's first four-lap effort produced an average of 227.740 mph, well ahead of Abel's run. But with his teammate preparing to go again, Veekay pulled his initial effort and went back to the track with about 8 minutes left in the hour-long window. That turned out to be a bad idea. Veekay went even slower — just 226.913 mph — and was left to watch nervously from pit lane as Abel went out in the final minutes of the session with a chance to bump him from the field. 'I was really afraid,' Veekay said. 'I thought that could be it.' But with a car still hot from its previous run, Abel also went slower. His speed of 226.394 mph made him the only driver that spent the past two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway who failed to make the starting grid. 'Jacob is not just my teammate. He's a really good friend,' Veekay said. 'I feel bad for him. This was going to be his first; this is my sixth. Of course it feels good to make the field, but it is the definition of bittersweet.' Abel was at a loss to explain his lack of pace. His car had been good in practice but simply didn't show up during qualifying. 'Super weird situation,' he said. 'We were fast in no-tows. We were very, very conservative. It seemed like something happened overnight Friday to Saturday and we lost speed, and it got slower and slower every run.' Meanwhile, Andretti was safely in his 20th consecutive Indy 500. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti started on the pole in 2020, but now will be starting from the deepest he's ever been in the field. 'Never thought I'd be happy with 31st but today I am,' Andretti, who finished second in his debut in 2006 and has three third-place finishes, said on social media. 'Proud of the 98 group! Now we go try to win the Indy 500!'
