The 2025 IndyCar season has come to a close for Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout. The 24-year-old Dutchman ended the year with a thirteenth place finish in the final race at the Nashville Superspeedway. After a challenging qualification, the Dale Coyne Racing driver impressively fought his way forward, but a late strategic error cost him a spot in the top ten. Despite this, he is proud of what he – along with his relatively small team – has achieved.
The finale in Nashville was held for the second year in a row on the oval in Lebanon, Tennessee. Although the title race had already been decided, there was still plenty at stake for Van Kalmthout – a good final ranking in the midfield and a fitting end to his season. However, after the qualification, this seemed far away. Both Van Kalmthout and teammate Jacob Abel lacked speed, resulting in the Hoofddorp native not advancing beyond P26. “We were severely lacking on the straights, which was painful,” he stated in an official press release.
Season Highlights
In the race, however, ‘VeeKay’ made his presence felt, as he has done so often this season. Thanks to a smart strategy change and several daring overtaking maneuvers, he impressively worked his way forward. In the final stages, he was even in ninth place and a new top ten finish seemed within reach. But while competitors made another pit stop for fresh soft tires, Dale Coyne Racing let their driver continue on worn rubber. As a result, he fell back to thirteenth place.Despite the strategic misstep, Van Kalmthout looks back on his first season with Dale Coyne with his head held high. Out of seventeen races, he finished in the top ten seven times, including twice in the top five, with his podium finish in Toronto being the highlight. He finished fourteenth in the championship standings. “Actually, this past year has gone really well,” said ‘VeeKay’. “Especially considering the late timing of our deal with Dale Coyne Racing. We got everything out of it that was possible. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved with this small team.” The future of the Dutch IndyCar driver is still undecided. He hopes to provide more clarity about his plans for 2026 soon.
