Get To Know: Rinus Veekay

Rinus Veekay is used to moving forward. Take, for example, the 2021 GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course. In his 2nd IndyCar season with Ed Carpenter Racing, the young Dutchman started 7th, and finished 6 spots higher for his first career IndyCar victory.

His friends call him “Sinur”. Not because he’s their elder, or because they speak Spanish to one another. Rather, it’s a tribute to his rare ability to speak his native Dutch…backwards.

Kniht tuoba taht.

The guy is used to speaking backwards.

His career is moving forward since he first strapped into a kart. That was back in 2009, when, before his 10th birthday, Veekay won the Dutch Winter championship in Cadet class karting. He won multiple titles in various Dutch series before coming state side for a Mazda Road to Indy test in 2015.

Veekay’s talent caught the eye of his countryman Arie Luyendyk, who offered guidance throughout the fast track to IndyCar.

Born Rinus van Kalmthout in the village town of Hoofdorp, Netherlands, he decided his sir name was too lengthy by American standards- backwards or forward- and the name “Veekay” was born.

Easy going (outside the car!) with a permanent smile, Veekay is a fitness guru who takes long bike rides after race weekends.