“It came as a complete surprise”: Rinus VeeKay makes his feelings known on shock exit from Ed Carpenter Racing 

Dale Coyne Racing's driver Rinus VeeKay was let go by his former team, Ed Carpenter Racing, at the end of the 2024 IndyCar season. The driver explained how he least expected ECR to sack him and sign another driver ahead of him, given his lengthy affiliation with the team.

Rinus VeeKay signed with Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2020 IndyCar season and drove for five years with the team. However, at the end of the 2024 season, they decided to replace the Dutchman with Alexander Rossi, leaving VeeKay without a seat. However, the 24-year-old managed to secure a seat with Dale Coyne Racing for the 2025 season.

He sat with Motorsport for an interview recently to detail how he didn't expect ECR to sign another driver to replace him and that it came as a surprise to him. Explaining the story, Rinus VeeKay said:

“I didn't see it coming. I was in the gym and got a few calls from my manager.”

“I picked up and he told me ‘you won't believe this, but Ed doesn't want to continue and is going in a different direction with the line-up’. It came as a complete surprise to me, because in Nashville I sat down with Ed and told my crew ‘guys don't worry, I'll be back next year,’” he added.

“I felt they were happy with me and I have always been very loyal. But at the first opportunity that came up, they decided to go into a different direction,” he mentioned.

AUTO: AUG 26 INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

Rinus VeeKay was let go in September of 2024, and it gave the Dutchman a chance to participate in the off-season test held in October at the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dale Coyne Racing gave VeeKay a chance, and his impressive performance led to him signing with the team.

---

“I just had to sit tight and trust Dale’s words”: Rinus VeeKay expressed the "helpless" feeling amid DCR’s late announcement

Dale Coyne Racing was the last team to confirm its lineup for the 2025 IndyCar season. After being sacked at ECR, Rinus VeeKay was in contact with DCR as the team owner Dale Coyne promised the Dutchman a seat on the team. However, the long waiting period before the announcement made VeeKay uneasy. Speaking about the same, the 24-year-old said:

“I wasn't freaking out. At times I had my waves of freak outs, but it was more of a, I mean, just sitting tight, just of a helpless feeling. I mean if there was a money tree on the side of the road, I would definitely stop there every day. But there's no money trees in the world. So I just had to sit tight and trust Dale's word. And that's what we did and we got it done in the end.”

Rinus VeeKay made his debut for DCR at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where the Dutchman started the race in P12 and finished inside the Top 10 in P9.