Tag: Rinus VeeKay

Indycar Season Preview-2023 Breakthroughs and Hot Seats

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Today is the first in a series of preview articles as we head into the 2023 NTT Indycar Series season. Let’s take a look at four drivers who I think are going to have much improved years. Three are rookies from last year, and one young veteran I think is about to hit his stride. We will also look at some drivers who may be fighting for their jobs this year.

Drivers to Watch

Kyle Kirkwood

Kirkwood seems to be enjoying his new team. he has been quick in testing, as have his Andretti teammates. What remains to be seen is if his racecraft has improved. Last year Kirkwood sometimes tried too hard to overcome equipment deficits. the result was a lot of unforced errors and a 24th place finish in the final standings. He has the equipment and the team behind him to succeed this year. i expect to see a lot of the Kirkwood we saw on the Road to Indy in 2023. Will he win a race? I think that is possible, but not likely this season.

Christian Lundgaard

Lundgaard quietly earned Rookie of the Year in 2022, and showed steady improvement as the season went on. He earned seven Top 10 finishes, including two Top Fives and one podium. A year’s experience, backing by Hy-Vee, and an improving RLLteam should combine to see even better results for Lundgaard in 2023. I see him ending up in the TopTen at the end of the year.

David Malukas

A rough start to 2022 probably cost Malukas the Rookie of the Year title. He lost to Lundgaard by only 18 points. A driver who showed increasing maturity as the year progressed, Malukas drive to a brilliant second place at World Wide Technology Raceway. Malukas had one other top 10, at Iowa. He was the highest finishing rookie at the Indianapolis 500, but his lack of NASCAR titles cost him Indy Rookie of the Year. Of the three sophomores, I think Malukas is the most probable to eke out a win in 2023. Dale Coyne Racing doesn’t have the best equipment, but they know how to play the rules, and I think a race will fall his way.

Rinus VeeKay

It’s time for Rinus to stop teasing us. The potential is there for a breakout season. We have been waiting for the ECR driver to put together a solid, consistent season. VeeKay won the pole at Barber and finished third after a slow out lap following his second pit stop. He had a decent year in 2022 with six Top Tens and three Top Fives, but just one podium. Maybe we expect too much of VeeKay. I look for a top ten season finish and more regular top five appearances. A win is possible.

Hot Seats

Three drivers need to have really good seasons if they wish to stay in Indycar in 2024. One will be leaving his current team after the season, and this year is an audition for all the other teams. The other two have to show significant improvement in 2023.

Jack Harvey

We still aren’t sure what kind of a driver Jack Harvey is. Harvey had just one Top ten in 2022. That will not be good enough this coming season., I hoped for better results since he joined the series. For 2023, a different sponsor, different car number, and new crew may help Harvey rise to the level that fans have expected of him. I’m not expecting a win, but a final spot in the top 15 would be a significant improvement.

Romain Grosjean

I don’t know Grosjean’s contract status, but I thought when he joined Andretti, he would be a consistent contender for podiums and wins, 2022 was not a good year for Andretti overall, but I thought the former F1 driver would enhance their program. It didn’t happen. Grosjean has been quick in testing during the preseason, and he seems to feel the team has a better baseline heading into 2023. A win is possible, but more top five and top ten finishes are needed.

Felix Rosenqvist

Rosenqvist will depart Arrow McLaren at the end of 2023. In 2022,he had to fight to keep his job, and he showed himself to be up to the task. In 2023 his objective si to show the other teams that he belongs in Indycar. I think he does, and I have no doubt Rosenqvist will show well this season. A win will be tough given his teammates and the competition from other teams,but look for Rosenqvist to have a deal in place with a new team for 2024 before the season ends.

Carpenter Liveries Unveiled

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(PALM SPRINGS, Calif.) February 1, 2023 – Ed Carpenter Racing (“ECR”) announced today that the team’s 2023 lineup will be fully supported by new digital marketplace BITNILE.COM. The team’s two full-time entries, the No. 20 of Conor Daly and the No. 21 of Rinus VeeKay, in addition to ovals-only No. 33 of Ed Carpenter, will each compete throughout the upcoming season as BITNILE.COM Chevrolets. BITNILE.COM, an immersive digital marketplace, which is set to launch and “go live” one month from today, on March 1, 2023.

The new BITNILE.COM liveries feature metallic gold on the front of each car with an innovative transition in color to represent the evolution of digital marketplaces. All three cars carry a cohesive look with Daly’s base color of blue, VeeKay’s featuring white and Carpenter’s car primarily black. The BITNILE.COM branding and metallic gold will carry across all trackside uniforms and equipment.

“The launch of our new next-generation marketplace is scheduled for March 1 to coincide with the start of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season,” stated Milton “Todd” Ault, III, BITNILE.COM’s Executive Chairman. “We believe that the demographics of the INDYCAR fan base fit perfectly the intended target of BITNILE.COM, which has led us to become the one of the biggest team partners in the series and branding all three ECR cars this season.”

The 12th season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition for ECR features an identical driver lineup for the fourth consecutive year. Daly, from Noblesville, Ind., will race the No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet for the entirety of the 2023 season. The 31-year-old will reach his 100th NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and this year’s Indianapolis 500 will be his 10th. 

VeeKay is the longest-tenured full-time driver in ECR’s history and will compete behind the wheel of the No. 21 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet for a fourth year. The 22-year-old Dutchman, who has been with ECR since his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut, will make his 50th start at Barber Motorsports Park in April. 

Carpenter remains the only active owner/driver in INDYCAR, as he races in the five oval events in the No. 33 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet.  The Indianapolis native will compete in his 20th Indianapolis 500 this May and make his 200th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start at the second Iowa Speedway race in July.
ECR team owner Carpenter stated, 

“We are excited to confirm BITNILE.COM as our team partner and unveil our new paint schemes.” Carpenter continued, “Conor Daly and Rinus VeeKay are both very talented drivers who bring a wealth of experience to our team. As for the No. 33 BITNILE.COM entry, I am excited to be back behind the wheel for the oval races, which will include my 20th Indianapolis 500.”


Team President Tim Broyles is confident the talent of the drivers, coupled with ECR’s continual preparation since the end of last season, will give the team a competitive edge.

“The entire team has worked tirelessly in the offseason to make sure our cars are at the forefront of performance. The new BITNILE.COM designs will make them stand out on the track,” said Broyles.

The new Nos. 20 and 21 will be on track for the first time tomorrow as Daly and VeeKay participate in the Thermal Club Open Test. The full-field test spans two days and will take place at The Thermal Club, a private, world-class facility located just outside Palm Springs, California. The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins March 5 in the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Carpenter will join Daly and VeeKay at Texas Motor Speedway on April 2 for his first race of the season.
CONOR DALY, No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet
RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet
ED CARPENTER, No. 33 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet
About BITNILE.COMBITNILE.COM, Inc. plans to launch its next-generation digital marketplace on March 1, 2023, offering real and virtual experiences and products. The platform, which will readily accept Bitcoin, is being developed to enable users to access the metaverse via the web browser allowing usage on any device including mobile, tablets, PC’s and virtual reality headsets. The BITNILE.COM metaverse experience is expected to not only include eCommerce, but is being built to include social, immersive video games, games of skill and chance, and more. The company is a subsidiary of Ault Alliance, Inc. (www.Ault.com). For more information and to register for the upcoming marketplace launch, please visit www.BITNILE.com.
About Ed Carpenter RacingEd Carpenter Racing (ECR) first entered the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012. The Indianapolis-based race team has proven its versatility by collecting eight wins across each type of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and speedways. ECR is led by IndyCar’s only team owner/driver, Ed Carpenter, three-time pole winner for the Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014 and 2018). The 2023 season will see the team continue to compete with two full-time entries: the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet with Conor Daly behind the wheel and the No. 21 BitNile Chevrolet, driven by Rinus VeeKay. Carpenter will round out the team’s three-car effort on the ovals, campaigning the No. 33 Chevrolet. More information may be found at http://www.edcarpenterracing.com/.

VeeKay Stays with ECR

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Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay has signed a multi year agreement and will remain with the team. VeeKay is currently 11th ib the NTT Indycar Series points standings with one pole in 2022. He has three top 5 finishes and six top 10s.

The announcement from ECR:

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) August 4, 2022 – Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay will remain the driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and beyond as part of a multi-year agreement. The 21-year-old joined ECR prior to the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and has spent the entirety of his Indy car career with the Indianapolis-based team. VeeKay will compete in the full 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule behind the wheel of the No. 21, which he will campaign for a fourth consecutive year.

“I am very excited to continue with Ed Carpenter Racing for what will be my fourth year in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES! Ed Carpenter gave me the opportunity to drive for the team when I came out of Indy Lights and has let me showcase my talents in an Indy car ever since,” VeeKay stated. “The continuity at ECR is great, there have barely been any changes in my time here and it’s very nice to have the same group of people around me all the time. We have been stepping up our game every season and with the support of Todd Ault and BitNile, we can really move forward as we head into 2023.”

Raised in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the pinnacle of North American open wheel racing, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. Just four years later, VeeKay not only reached the NTT INDYCAR SERIES but earned the 2020 Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, he joined the ranks of NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners with his first career victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

ECR team owner Ed Carpenter watched VeeKay’s progression through the Road to Indy, which included one championship, two second-place finishes in points standings, 16 wins and 36 podiums in just 48 races. Carpenter selected the Dutch driver for his team in late 2019 and VeeKay has been with ECR for every race since. “I am so happy to be able to extend our relationship with Rinus, he is an extremely versatile and talented driver,” stated Carpenter. He continued, “It has been and remains our hope to build our team to new heights with Rinus helping lead the charge. Our goals and expectations are to win races and to compete for championships. With Rinus’s growth and the support from BitNile and Todd Ault, we are primed for success.”

VeeKay is midway through his third season as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver and continues to build on his impressive resume. In addition to his Rookie of the Year title, his debut season included his first pole position and first podium finish. Two weeks after his first victory in May of 2021, he started on the front row of the Indianapolis 500. He replicated that in 2022, again starting from the 3rd position. VeeKay has been the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver in the field for each of his Indianapolis 500 starts. He also earned his second pole position this season, this time at Barber Motorsports Park, where he took the checkered flag in 3rd. VeeKay has put together a string of strong results in the recent summer stretch, finishing in the Top 6 in three of the five races that took place in July.

VeeKay is grateful for the support he has received. “I really want to thank Ed, Tony George, Stuart Reed for giving me the opportunity to continue with ECR. The entire team deserves my gratitude, everyone out in the race shop that works so hard every day to make me fast on track.” He continued, “We still have a season to finish this year, but it’s great to know future plans. It motivates me, the team and everyone around us to get more great results before we focus on next year!”

VeeKay is the longest-tenured full-time driver in Ed Carpenter Racing’s 11-year history. Since its inception in 2012, ECR has raced exclusively in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The team has shown its versatility by earning eight wins across each style of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and super speedways. ECR boasts 40 Top 5 results to date, 24 of which have been podium finishes. For 10 of the team’s 11 Indianapolis 500s, ECR has had at least one car qualify in the first three rows. An ECR Chevrolet has sat on the front row eight of those years, including three pole positions by Carpenter (2013, 2014 and 2018).

Four races remain in the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, including this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in the streets of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. ECR’s 2022 campaign includes two full-time entries: VeeKay in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered by BitNile Chevrolet and the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet, driven by Conor Daly. Carpenter competes in the oval events in a third ECR entry, the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet. The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule will be announced at a later date.

VeeKay Fastest in Warmup; Tires, Pits, Brakes Concerns for Race

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Rinus VeeKay turned the fastest lap in the morning warmup with a lap of 0.59.8987 seconds. The session saw many cars overshoot turn 3 and some close calls on pit road. Alexander Rossi was the only other driver to lap in under a minute, trailing VeeKay by about 5 hundredths of a second.

Polesitter Colton Herta had an eventful session. He stalled leaving pit road when he has to stop to let another car by, then later went into the turn 3 runoff area and stalled, bringing out the only red flag of the practice period.

Herta also was involved in a close race off pit road with two other cars who were nearly three wide at pit exit.

Tire marbles were strewn across the track, and when cars came into the pits lots of debris was on the tires.

This could be a high attrition race.

Results

Qualifying Update

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Photo by Joe Skibinski

Honda issues, a procedural penalty, and the third fastest qualifying average in history highlight the first round of qualifying.

Honda Problems

Marco Andretti was impeded by Takuma Sato on his warmup lap. Sato was still on the track on his cool down lap. he should have been in the warmup lane. Andretti also had an engine issue on his third lap. Sato’s qualifying time was withdrawn by Indycar.

Colton Herta lost all power on his warmup lap.

Juan Pablo Montoya’s car faled tech inspection and was withdrawn from the line by Indycar. he will qualify after everyone else has their guaranteed turn.

Stefan Wilson overrevved the gears in this morning’s practice session. The team decided to change the engine. Wilson has not been out to qualify yet.

Rinus VeeKay began his run with a lap of 234,4 mph. His average of 233.655 is the third fastest qualifying average in Speedway history. Arie Luyendyk and Scott Brayton are the two ahead of VeeKay.

The top 12 as of 1:25 PM;

Rinus VeeKay

Pato O’Ward

Felix Rosenqvist

Alex palou

Tony Kanaan

Jimmie Johnson

Ed Carpenter

Marcus Ericsson

Romain Grosjean

Scott Dixon

Will Power

Josef Newgarden

The chance for storms has pushed back to 2:45, so we may have a few second runs. There are still four spots open in the field. Back with more later.

Bitnile to Sponsor VeeKay in 106th 500

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From Ed Carpenter Racing this morning:

Rinus VeeKay Will Compete in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered By BitNile Chevrolet in the 106th Running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing

(INDIANAPOLIS) May 10, 2022 – Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay will compete in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered By BitNile Chevrolet in the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) became known as the Bitcoin Racing Team when VeeKay raced an iconic black and orange Bitcoin car in last year’s 500-mile classic. Through the generosity of BitNile Holdings, Inc. (BitNile), the Bitcoin Racing Team will continue to grow in 2022.

BitNile is a diversified holding company pursuing disruptive technologies, including cryptocurrencies and innovations in the field of decentralized finance (DeFi). BitNile owns and operates their own high-density data center at which it mines Bitcoin. With a desire to see expanded access to DeFi, BitNile invests in technology platforms that provide community-based, peer-to-peer transactions, such as Earnity Inc. (Earnity).

Earnity, the world’s first community-based crypto platform and marketplace, combines a social media community with a cryptocurrency and DeFi marketplace to give users a place to earn, learn and collect crypto assets. The platform connects creators, educators and other enthusiasts to share knowledge and grow audiences. Every individual who scans the unique QR code on the side of VeeKay’s No. 21 and completes the registration process will receive free Bitcoin from Earnity. BitNile is a significant investor in Earnity.

The Bitcoin Racing Team was a natural home for BitNile. “With the goal of becoming a top 10 North American miner of Bitcoin, it made sense for BitNile to give Rinus VeeKay and ECR this opportunity. The fans loved the Bitcoin car last year and now it’s going to be even better with a QR code that will let them earn FREE Bitcoin,” Milton “Todd” Ault, III, the Executive Chairman of BitNile said. He continued, “I believe all three ECR entries have a real opportunity to win this year’s Indy 500. We are offering a special Bitcoin incentive to any ECR winning driver and the entire team if successful!”

BitNile provided VeeKay the unique opportunity to design his own car for the Indianapolis 500. VeeKay wanted to pay homage to his native country of the Netherlands and his Dutch family, friends and supporters. He immediately chose to have the No. 21 be painted orange, the national color of the Netherlands and a source of great pride for his countrymen. The front wing carries the horizontal tricolor of red, white and blue stripes, representing the national flag of the Netherlands. Also important to VeeKay was including a lion, a symbol steeped in historical significance for the country. A Dutch lion appears on top of both of VeeKay’s mirrors.

VeeKay was thrilled when he received BitNile’s offer. “I have always dreamed of racing an orange car in the Indianapolis 500, but I never imagined I’d get to design it myself!” stated VeeKay. “I am very grateful to Todd Ault and BitNile for allowing me this opportunity, it is so cool. We incorporated many things for the Dutch fans and I hope they love it as much as I do!”

Just two weeks ago, VeeKay earned his first pole position and his first podium finish of the season at Barber Motorsports Park. The 21-year-old will carry that momentum to a track that is home to several of his career milestones. Before attention shifts to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will compete on the road course. VeeKay’s first career pole position and first career podium came at the IMS road course in 2020 and he enters this weekend as the defending race winner, having captured the victory in 2021. The second half of the Month of May is dedicated to the Indianapolis 500, where VeeKay has also built an impressive resume. In 2020, he recorded the best qualifying result by a teenager in Indianapolis 500 history by starting 4th; in 2021, he qualified 3rd and became the youngest front row starter in “500” history. He led 32 laps in last year’s race, third-highest of all drivers in the field, before finishing 8th.

VeeKay will take his first laps in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered by BitNile Chevrolet when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens for Indy 500 practice on Tuesday, May 17. Practice will continue through Friday May 20, before the Field of 33 qualifies on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. The 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 29, 2022 with coverage beginning at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.

VeeKay Takes Pole in Youthful Fast Six

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Photo: Kyle McInnes

Rinus VeeKay tok the pole for tomorrow’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama with a lap of 1:06.25. Pato O’Ward, last year’s polke winner, will join VeeKay on the front row. O’Ward was 0.15 seconds slower than VeeKay.

Alex Palou, 2021 race winner and series champion, will start third, the same position he won the rac from last year. Scott McLaughlin, Alexander Rossi, and Felix Rosenqvist round out the first three rows.

As startling as the names in the Fast Six were, equally shocking was who was not in it. Scott Dixon missed the Fast Six at Barber for the first time. He will start 13th. Power had been in the Fast Six nine times in the 11 races here, will start 19th. Josef Newgarden will start seventh and Colton Herta 10th. Romain Grosjean will start eighth.

Colton Herta waited a bit too long to make his final run in the round of 12. That session ended early when Marcus Ericsson went off track and brought out the red flag with 25 seconds left.

The results set up a Fast Six with drivers who had 16 poles between them and an average age of 26 years.

In the Fast Six, VeeKay was the last car on track and nipped O’Ward at the line. The pole was VeeKay’s second career pole. The first came aqt the 2020 Harvest Classic Race 1 at IMS.

Notes

Veekay is the fourth different pole winner and ECR is the fourth different team to win a pole in 2022. Pole winners have won two of the three races this season.

Chevy has been quite strong this year. The manufacturer has three poles and has won the first three races of 2022.

How good are rookies Callum Ilott and Kyle Kirkwood? Ilott will nstart b11th and Kirkwood lines up 21st, but people were disappointed that neither advanced further today.

David Malukas continues to struggle. He has had wall contact every weekend this season.

Kudos to Alexander Rossi’s team and others from Andretti Autosport for getting the 27 car back together after after the big crash this morning. Rossi rewarded them as the onlky Andretti car to make the Fast Six.

Will rain affect the brace tomorrow? The latest radar looks as if there will be rain this afternoon, possibly during the final practice session later today.

Tomorrow’s forecast as of 2:50 pm Central calls for a 46-48 % chance of rain during race time tomorrow, with a better chance for in the hours leading up to the noon start.

Results:

1. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 01:06.2507 (124.980 mph)
2. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 01:06.4003 (124.698)
3. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 01:06.4415 (124.621)
4. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 01:06.4967 (124.517)
5. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:06.5549 (124.409)
6. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 01:06.6410 (124.248)
7. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 01:06.3348 (124.821)
8. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 01:06.3820 (124.733)
9. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:06.6339 (124.261)
10. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 01:06.7295 (124.083)
11. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 01:07.2000 (123.214)
12. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 01:07.3561 (122.929)
13. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 01:06.5142 (124.485)
14. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 01:06.7462 (124.052)
15. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:06.6511 (124.229)
16. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 01:06.8138 (123.926)
17. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:06.7541 (124.037)
18. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 01:06.8898 (123.786)
19. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:06.7775 (123.994)
20. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 01:07.0242 (123.537)
21. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 01:06.8213 (123.913)
22. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:07.0350 (123.518)
23. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 01:07.6869 (122.328)
24. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 01:07.1052 (123.388)
25. (11) Tatiana Calderon, Chevrolet, 01:07.9248 (121.900)
26. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 01:09.0075 (119.987) 
 

McLaughlin on St. Pete Pole as Penske Sweeps Front Row

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Scott McLaughlin turned a sizzling final lap as time expired to win the pole for tomorrow’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by RP Funding. He edged teammate Will Power, who will start on the front row for the 12th time at St. Pete.

Scott McLaughlin on his pole winning lap

Group 1 in Round 1 ended with six different teams advancing, including A. J Foyt Racing with Kyle Kirkwood, Ed Carpenter Racing driver Rinus Veekay. Colton Herta led the round with a time of 59.466 seconds, followed by Graham Rahal, VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Kirkwood, and Josef Newgarden.

Group 2 saw Power lead with a lap of 59,394 seconds, followed by McLaughlin, Romain Grosjean, Simon Pagenaud, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou. Palou and Grosjean recovered from heavy damage in the morning practice.

The second round saw a great battle for the lead between Power, Grosjean, McLaughlin, and Herta, with Power taking the round. Power set a track record with his lap of 59.346 seconds.

Will Power

The Firestone Fast Six looked to be comfortably in Power’s grasp as Herta, Grosjean, and Pagenaud all failed to beat his time. McLaughlin’s final lap was 0.12 seconds better than his teammate. The second year driver has earned his first career pole.

Two drivers and teams who had great drives today- Kyle Kirkwood of A. J. Foyt Racing and Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter Racing. Neither team is known for their prowess on road and street courses, nut today may be a sign that the situation could be about to change. Kirkwood finished fifth in Round 1. The rookie has shown in two days how talented he is.

VeeKay appears to be fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered mid -season last year. VeeKay was third in Round 1, sixth in Round 2, will start fourth tomorrow.

Qualifying Results:

VeeKay Stays at ECR for 2022

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A news release from Ed Carpenter Racing:

RINUS VEEKAY TO REMAIN WITH ED CARPENTER RACING FOR 2022 INDYCAR SEASON
Young Dutch Talent Will Continue as Driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet for Third Year
(LONG BEACH, Calif.) September 26, 2021 – Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay will officially remain with the team for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The 21-year-old will continue as full-time driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet, a role he will now hold for a third season. When the 2021 season concludes today in the streets of Long Beach, VeeKay’s focus will immediately shift to 2022’s 17-race schedule. 
“I am very excited to have another season with Ed Carpenter Racing! We made so much progress this year, I had my first win in IndyCar and made many great memories. Next year, we can be better than we’ve ever been!” stated VeeKay. “We want to be championship contenders, to go for even better results, more frequent wins and podium finishes. The atmosphere at ECR is perfect for that, it feels like a group of friends who are eager to work hard for strong results. I am excited to continue that in 2022 and not having anything change!”
Raised in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the pinnacle of North American open wheel racing, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. His rapid ascent through the RTI ranks included 16 wins and 36 podiums in 48 races. Those statistics propelled him to second place in the 2017 USF2000 standings, the 2018 Indy Pro 2000 title and a runner-up finish in the 2019 Indy Lights championship. Just four years into his career in the United States, VeeKay not only reached the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, but earned 2020 Rookie of the Year honors.
ECR team owner Ed Carpenter watched VeeKay’s progression through in the Road to Indy and selected the Dutch driver for his team in late 2019. VeeKay has been with ECR ever since and will make his 29th career start this afternoon. “I am very happy that Rinus will be back behind the wheel for ECR in 2022,” said Carpenter. “Rinus has continued to show that he has the talent and work ethic to be a champion and that’s the goal of our team. We look forward to more success next season!”
Though VeeKay is only two years into his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career, he has already built an impressive resume. In addition to his Rookie of the Year title, his debut season included his first pole position and first podium finish. In 2020, he recorded the best qualifying result by a teenager in Indianapolis 500 history by starting 4th; in 2021, he qualified 3rd and became the youngest front row starter in “500” history. In May of this year, VeeKay joined the ranks of NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners. He earned his first career victory in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. 
VeeKay is grateful for the support he has received. “I want to thank Ed Carpenter for giving me the opportunity to drive for another season! Ed was the one that gave me the chance to be able to prove myself in IndyCar and I am very grateful to him.”  He continued, “Thank you to Tony George, Stuart Reed and the entire team, every single person who makes this possible. I am the one driving, but there is a whole team behind me working day a night to give me a good, reliable car. I also really appreciate the support of ECR’s partners, including SONAX and Direct Supply, for allowing us to work hard, improve and take a big step forward this offseason.”
A third year with the Indianapolis-based team will make VeeKay the longest-tenured full-time driver in Ed Carpenter Racing’s 10-year history. Since its inception in 2012, ECR has raced exclusively in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.  The team has shown versatility by earning eight wins on each style of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and speedways. ECR boasts 36 Top 5s to date, 23 of which have been podium finishes. For nine of their 10 Indianapolis 500s, ECR has had at least one car qualify in the first three rows. An ECR Chevrolet has sat on the front row seven of those years, including three pole positions by Carpenter (2013, 2014 and 2018).
The 2021 season concludes this afternoon with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, broadcast live on NBC Sports Network at 3 p.m. ET. ECR’s 2022 campaign will the team continue to compete with two full-time entries, the No. 20 and No. 21. While the No. 21 will feature VeeKay for the full season, Carpenter will continue as oval driver of the No. 20 in his 20th season of Indy car competition. VeeKay’s third NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON will begin February 27, 2022 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  
Rinus VeeKay will remain with Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The 21-year-old will continue as full-time driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet, a role he will now hold for a third season. A third year with the Indianapolis-based team will make VeeKay the longest-tenured full-time driver in ECR’s 10-year history. (INDYCAR Photo)
In May of 2021, Rinus VeeKay joined the ranks of NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners. He earned his first career victory in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. One week later, he became the youngest front row starter in Indianapolis 500 history by qualifying 3rd. (DREAM Digital)
About Ed Carpenter RacingEd Carpenter Racing (ECR) has entered its 10th season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition in 2021. The Indianapolis-based race team has proven its versatility by collecting eight wins across each type of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and speedways. ECR is led by IndyCar’s only team owner/driver, Ed Carpenter, three-time pole winner for the Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014 and 2018). In 2021, Indiana natives Carpenter and Conor Daly share the No. 20 Chevrolet as Carpenter drives the oval races and Daly takes over for the road and street course events. Both were entered in the Indianapolis 500 alongside 2020 Rookie of the Year Rinus VeeKay, full-time driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet. ECR is active in the eSports arena as part of the iRX World Championship. More information may be found at http://www.edcarpenterracing.com/.