Rinus VeeKay on 'Rising From The Dead' in a redemption year

Rinus's Toronto podium and being the last driver signed [0:00]

Greg: Your podium in Toronto, felt like a huge day. Just take us through what that was like as you were making that final lap and crossing the finish line. What was going through your head?

Rinus: Yeah, the podium in Toronto was awesome. At that point, it was two and a half years or three years until I've been on the podium. That was really big. I mean, we had a shot at the win, too. That was just a crazy day. I didn't know that was going to happen, even a few months ago, because I was the last driver to be announced to drive in the IndyCar Series in 2025. Quick turnaround for everybody, but really, really awesome job and it was the highlight of the season.

Greg: Was that what you were thinking about as it was happening? Was it just a validation of that frustration of not having that seat or getting it late and then ending up there?

Rinus: It's just stuff going right. It's just everything we needed to go right went right. Just a little bit lucky, and we had the pace to make it happen. And you know it all happened on the right day, so that was that was really cool. It was a very pretty trophy, too.

Greg: Yeah, we were all there watching you get it, and watching you with Pato [O'Ward] and Kyffin [Simpson]. It was cool to see. You could just see it on your face.

Rinus: Yeah, it's one I've been wanting for a long time. I think it's one of the prettier trophies, one of the more unique ones. Happy to have that one in the collection.

Greg: Are you running a big cabinet of everything?

Rinus: It's coming together. Haven't put a lot of thought into that for a while. We'll figure that out later. We've got a whole off season coming up.

Indy NXT and a rivalry with Oliver Askew [1:18]

Greg: Before you came to IndyCar, you had a very strong Indy Lights record—finished second overall. It clearly helped you move on to where you are now. Beyond that aspect of it, just simply getting you into IndyCar, what did you take away from that? What did you really learn from that season, fighting against Oliver [Askew]?

Rinus: I think the biggest thing in Indy Lights at that time was it was such a big car compared to what I've run before. USF 2000, Indy Pro 2000, those were just, you know, a lot smaller cars compared to the Indy NXT car, which is very similar to the IndyCar in size, and basically the tub is almost the same. So just the visuals, everything was so different.

I struggled with that in the beginning. It took me a bit of time to understand, but then, once I got used to the Indy NXT car, the IndyCar felt so easy to drive, because it's just a lot better at everything. The brakes are better, the grip is better, the torque is better. Everything's just, you know, it responds a lot better to driver inputs. Driving the harder Indy NXT car really made it easier for me to adjust to an IndyCar.

Greg: Was there an element then on the mental side or the learning and development side of it, where you're fighting against a guy like Oliver, neck and neck the whole season—does that teach you something that maybe other drivers don't have because they don't have that rivalry or that competition?

Rinus: Rivalries make you better. Oliver and I, we've been pushing each other since go-karts. It's been like that for a while. But also throughout the whole Road to Indy, we've been pushing each other to get better. I think the pressure we put on each other made both of us a better driver.

Greg: Pressure makes diamonds.

Rinus:

‍There's no better motivator than defeat.

What is Rinus's most defining era? [2:49]

Greg: This would be a little bit of a curveball kind of question, but in honor of Taylor Swift's recent engagement, if you look back at your career so far, what's your most defining era, or your favorite?

Rinus: This one. The one I'm in the Dale Coyne 2025 era.

Greg: Why?

Rinus: Just, you know, kind of rising from the dead, having kind of a hard time after 2021 when I broke my collarbone, results haven't totally been there. I haven't had a podium in a while. And this year, you know, I got dropped by Ed Carpenter Racing [ECR] after Nashville 2024. And then I just come back with Dale Coyne Racing basically both of us in the same position. They were second to last in the Championship and I got dropped. We needed a redemption year, which we really made happen this year. I think everything together just shaped up to be one of those unexpected villain stories maybe.

Greg: That sounds pretty good.

Rinus: Yeah, it was pretty awesome.

Greg: The moustache definitely helps with the villain story though.

Rinus: Yeah, I'm not sure if it stays, but it's a Nashville thing.

Moving up to IndyCar and tattooing his first win [4:00]

Greg: You then moved to IndyCar, you go up and you racing against guys like Romain Grosjean, you beat him and you take your first win. What is that feeling like for you now?

Rinus: It's great. Still, my first win has been tattooed on my body—the date. So that's pretty awesome. yeah, I mean, it's just your first IndyCar win is your biggest day in your life... outside of being born. So yeah, that was...

Greg: I didn't remember that day. I'd remember the win.

Rinus: It's kind of a big day somehow.

Greg: Is that one tattooed somewhere?

Rinus: It's just me in the flesh. No, think the thing about that day winning in Indianapolis was really big. You know, just everything coming together. Same thing, just strategy and everything worked well. And then on that day, we were the most perfect guys out there.

Greg: You made the switch to Dale Coyne this season after Ed Carpenter. It was a very late announcement, which you said before. What has that transition been like for you? What does it do as a driver?

Rinus: Actually, I have to say it's been a very easy transition. Also, because I got that test with Dale in October last year—the hybrid test in Indianapolis. And from then on, I kind of put myself in the 18 car already, mentally. So I've been working towards St. Pete. I've been doing my homework, getting ready for the first race. And I've had two different lead engineers this season with Ed Nathman and then Michael Cannon coming in after the 500. We started off great with both of them and it's been an incredible stretch this year. Great results, a lot of top tens. Starting out the season with a top ten and transferring to the Fast 12 just showed that even though we didn't develop much in the off season, we perfected the basics right from the get go.

Greg: And what about having Jacob [Abel] as a teammate, like being in this 'rookie versus elder' or 'more experienced driver' position? How has that shaped you?

Rinus: Yeah, it's been really good to have Jacob as a teammate. You can see his learning curve throughout the season. Mid-Ohio is where he started to really push me. And he's been really good and really wanting to learn. I mean, I've got almost 100 races of IndyCar experience. I could just help him with little stuff, stuff in the pit box during pit stops, what to look at... Just little things at a track that I learned the hard way. I tried to just make him aware of stuff. It's just more reminders than anything.

Indy 500 last Chance Qualifying and knocking out teammate Jacob Abel [6:25]

Greg: I want to talk about the [Indy 500] because we were all there watching like the Last Chance Qualifying. You seemed very stoic with it, but you had a history of first three row starts every time you've been there up until that point. What was going through your head in that moment?

Rinus: Yeah, that was tough. That was definitely the low point of the season—very hard, of course. Also the position of having to bump your teammate out to make it into the 500.

Jacob Abel [Indy 500 Press Conference]: It sucks, but it was a cool while it lasted.

Rinus: It's kind of a... I mean, yeah, we won, but at what cost, right? So, very tough. I'm still signing these little Parkside cards that say 3.8 average starting position for the 500, which is kind of old news at this point... So that's unfortunate. It's kind of a reminder of what was. But no, I feel like even the 500, the race, we moved up to sixth at one point. Unfortunately, had an issue coming in the pit lane. But I feel like that's a trend with this team during the season. Even though we don't get it right for qualifying, we built such a good race car and we nail strategy so well that we always have the shot at top 10. Doesn't matter how we qualify.

Greg: And did you take anything special away from that experience? Obviously it's not amazing, it doesn't feel good living through that. It feels like shit, I'm sure. But did you walk away from that maybe grateful because you've experienced it and you've learned something about yourself?

Rinus: Yes, I have. I mean, it's always been a lot of glory at the Speedway for me. Having a roller coaster in '24, though, shaped me up a little bit for this season. But I think, you know, having to deal with the car that doesn't work the way I want it to at the Speedway and then really, you know, having to turn around things in a hurry has made me a lot better as a driver. I think the hard days are the best for the future than the best days.

Greg: When you're in that situation and you're trying to turn it all around, what do you do? How do you make that—make it real for people who just sit and watch you through the TV.

Rinus: Yeah, I mean we started Sunday morning. We changed the car and, you know, I was screaming on the radio because it was un-drivable. And then we just put it in a window where we couldn't change the car back for qualifying. So we just made it work. Unfortunately, we weren't quick, but just quick enough to make it in. But it's just a mindset at that point, you know, you have to lock in. And one good thing about Indy, as long as you're flat four laps and you stay smooth, you know, it's kind of a flow you get into. You cannot do more than that in qualifying.

Rinus's "secret" talent: Dutch words backwards challenge [8:50]

Greg: Alright, I'm going to try this with you, but we've heard you're fast at saying Dutch words backwards, quickly.

Rinus: Yeah, that used to be a kid thing. But it's still in there.

Greg: I'm going to try and say one backwards in Dutch, which I don't speak at all so bear with me. I'm going to see if you can guess what it is. O-tu-ah?

Rinus: Auto. Car.

Greg: Car, okay. Lens.

Rinus: Snel, quick.

Greg: Naa-be-car... Naa-be-car... Racebaan

Rinus: Oh! Raceband, yes race tire. That was hard... might be the pronunciation.

Greg: It's definitely the pronunciation. [Rinus heard "raceband" which means race tire, instead of "racebaan" which means race track]

Ree-v-fjird. Ree-v-fjird.

This is AI telling me how to pronounce it backwards, phonetically. Drijfveer...

Rinus: What....

Greg: Drijfveer...

Rinus: Drijfveer? [drive] Oh that's a hard word. That's next level Dutch man. That's contract level language.

Greg: Alright, then we'll try this one. Neskob.

Rinus: Boksen! [boxing]

Greg: How's my backwards Dutch on a scale of one to ten?

Rinus: Um.... It's hard man, it's hard if I hear it and have to—but I got a few so I'm proud of that.

Greg: I know "dank u wel" [thank you].

Rinus: Lew u knad... backwards.

Greg: That was quick!

Rinus: It's easier for me to think about it.

Greg: Lekker Lekker? [very good]

Rinus: Rekkel Rekkel.

What Rinus sings to himself in the car [10:29]

Greg: I know that when you get into a groove you sing to yourself in the car?

Rinus: I do do that, yes.

Greg: What do you sing? What song?

Rinus: Whatever is on my mind that day.

Greg: What are you feeling right now? What's on your playlist?

Rinus: I've been listening to techno so I'm just kind of bouncing in the car. I don't sing it, I'm more like, you know when a song is stuck in your head and you just have that little part of the song that's cool.

Greg: But right now it's techno?

Rinus: I mean I've had Queen in my head, I've had Tiesto, TLC 'Waterfalls'.

Greg: I feel like that would take you out of the mood.

Rinus: It depends, sometimes you gotta be be smooth. Smooth is fast, right? Sometimes you have to be a little laid back. So it can go any way, whatever's in my mind, like whatever's stuck in my head is what I sing in the car. You know Smurfs, right? You know the theme song? That's the one I use to sing in go-karts. Yeah, it's pretty bad. Good thing I don't do that anymore. I had a really high pitch voice, too.

2026 goals [11:26]

Greg: What's next for you next year? What do think 2026 is going to look like? What do you want it to be?

Rinus: I always want the next year to be better than the previous one, right? So, well, what's better than second? First. I want to get back on the top step of the podium and really contend, maybe get a few more top fives and finally break into that top 10 in the championship.

Greg: I wish you the best of luck this weekend and with that next year. Thank you.

Rinus: Yeah, thank you very much.

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