It has been 1527 days since Dale Coyne Racing last stood on an IndyCar podium, but last weekend Rinus VeeKay steered his #18 Dallara-Honda to second place in Toronto. Coincidentally, that was also VeeKay’s first -and thus far only- IndyCar win.
Bold strategy pays off
VeeKay and Dale Coyne Racing starting to look like a match made in heaven, as the Dutchman has already managed to tie his record of top 10 finishes in a season. The last few races the combo has been moving forward, but not starting from the back opened up a lot of possibilities on Sunday.
“That was an awesome race,” VeeKay reflected. “We really had the feeling that he could do this today. We’ve been moving forward every race in the last six races. But we’ve been starting in the back.
“It was important for us to qualify good, and we qualified ninth. Did a bit of a different strategy to others. In a crazy race it was today, it was the right thing.”
The plan was to start on the (very) soft green-walled tyres in an attempt to profit off any first lap incidents. It turned out to be a fourth lap incident that brought out the caution, but VeeKay embraced it nonetheless.
“The yellows helped with [managing the tyres] definitely. That was kind of our strategy. There was a really high probability in the last eight years with turn one, lap one yellows. Right now I think it was a lap four yellow. It was a pretty long one. That was good for us.
“I really tried to baby them from the start, really be soft on them, try to stop wheel spin and everything. I expected the front tires to be going off a lot. In the end we struggled with the rears going off on traction.
“In the end it felt like I was driving on the axles only on the rears. It was hard, but I don’t think we could have stretched it another lap.”
Bounce-back after stressfull off-season
In the winter VeeKay’s IndyCar career was hanging on by a thread, after he was released from Ed Carpenter Racing in favour of Alexander Rossi. He was picked up by Dale Coyne, and with Michael Cannon joining the team as well, the future is looking bright for the team.
“There’s a number of places this year where I’ve had the best car I’ve had in my INDYCAR career. I think for me, it was a crazy off-season, with everything that happened. I think it was a jump in my career.
“I’ve had a great year so far with Dale Coyne Racing. Of course with Michael Cannon joining, his experience, I think we have a really strong team. Matt Nelson and Michael Cannon, Dale Coyne, that whole strategy team, them together on the stand, they make it happen every time. Through whatever is going to happen, we make the right decisions.
“It makes the race a lot more fun.”
VeeKay’s fourth IndyCar podium, his first in Toronto, is the highlight of the season so far.
“Yeah, feels awesome. I mean, for the team, their last podium was my last win, my only win, which was also a second place. Wish we could have topped that.
“Especially with the uncertainty in the off-season, the lack of preparation we’ve had as a team, showing up to races like this, even Barber earlier in the season, we’d really show pace. After the engineering overhaul, we really started figuring out what we needed to do. Michael Cannon brought a lot of experience to the timing stand and the engineering truck. It’s paying off.
“As a driver, you’re so much in control. You can do so much more with a car that handles well.”
O’Ward untouchable
A challenge for a second IndyCar win was eventually a bridge too far for VeeKay in Toronto. O’Ward took advantage of a better fuel strategy, allowing him to make a much shorter final stop than VeeKay.
“I think I and the team did everything we could. Like I said, Pato did I think only 20 laps on that set of tires before the final pit stop. He had a lot shorter pit on fuel. At the end we were waiting for a full tank to fill up. That’s where we lost some time.
“Coming out of the pits, I think he was two seconds ahead. Closed the gap up. His tires were getting up to temp. In the end it’s hard to stay close and get a really good run.
“I really tried my best. I tried to save some tires to hope get to get close to him at the end with some back markers. In the end, this is all I think I could do. I maximized, the whole team maximized. I think everyone is very happy, I think everybody on the team should be really proud.”
VeeKay and the team are oozing confidence at the moment, as the results in the races keep coming. A sharp contrast with the final few months at Ed Carpenter Racing, where the Dutchman seemed to struggle a lot more.
“I’m really happy,” VeeKay explains. “I think we exceeded expectations to start the season with a P9 at the first race. This is our seventh top 10 of the season. Four more races to go. I’m tied for my personal top 10s in a season. That’s really, really good. It’s been three years since I’ve been on the podium, three and a half years. It just feels great.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been up here. It’s great to celebrate again. Really feel like this whole team is coming alive right now.”
