IndyCar driver Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout was unable to capitalize on his promising position during the IndyCar race at Laguna Seca, California. The Dutchman was ‘bumped’ off the track by competitor Kyle Kirkwood. ‘VeeKay’ is extremely disappointed with the incident, as he believes a good result was within his grasp on the Californian track.
Rinus van Kalmthout has been driving for Dale Coyne Racing for half a year, and the Dutch IndyCar driver is doing well. With already seven top-ten finishes to his name, ‘VeeKay’ was on the starting grid at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca last weekend for the fourteenth round of the IndyCar season. The Dutchman qualified seventeenth, but thanks to a flying start, he quickly moved up to twelfth place.
Bump with Kirkwood
However, disaster struck in lap 25. Kyle Kirkwood, a driver for Andretti, hit the back of Van Kalmthout’s car, causing the Dutchman to be ‘bumped’ off the track. The American received a stop-and-go penalty for the incident. “I would have liked to tell something positive about the result of this race, but unfortunately one of my opponents had a different idea,” ‘VeeKay’ later said about the incident.”I saw Kirkwood suddenly appear. He crashed into me hard just before braking for the third turn. I was thrown into the gravel trap and was stuck there for about three minutes, it took a long time for the race direction to decide to call a neutralization,” the driver adds. “Only under yellow could I be freed from my position, but by then I was already several laps behind.”
‘Unfortunately, this is sometimes part of it’
Van Kalmthout is extremely disappointed about the incident. According to the driver, a good result in California was indeed possible. “Unfortunately, this is sometimes part of it: after all, I share the track with 26 others and you only have control over your own steering wheel,” continues ‘VeeKay’. The Dutchman therefore prefers to focus on the next race. “We now get a week’s rest – also nice for my hardworking crew who have once again done fantastic work – before we travel to Portland. Three more races, we are going to finish this season strong.”
