VeeKay to test with Belardi Auto Racing after impressive IndyCar outing with ECR
After another successful IndyCar test with Ed Carpenter Racing on Tuesday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Rinus VeeKay will return to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires action this weekend with Belardi Auto Racing.
The 19-year-old Indy Lights championship runner-up completed his second test with ECR after a spectacular debut this summer at Portland International Raceway. The cool fall temperatures at the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio circuit were ideal for VeeKay, who got up to speed quickly with lap times that were on par with NTT IndyCar Series veterans.
Rinus VeeKay completed his second IndyCar test with Ed Carpenter Racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Tuesday, October 15.
"I'm very happy with how the test went," said VeeKay, who scored six wins and 14 podium finishes out of 18 races in his rookie Indy Lights campaign this season. "I got up to speed quickly and drove competitive lap times that were near the top-three times to last season's qualifying results. I really want to thank Ed Carpenter for this opportunity and I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen in 2020."
This weekend, the Team NL driver returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, a track at which he won at back in May. For this outing, VeeKay will compete with Belardi Auto Racing to assist the team with collecting valuable data ahead of the 2020 Indy Lights season.
"It feels great to be able to help Brian Belardi [owner, Belardi Auto Racing] and his team to evaluate their car during the Chris Griffis Memorial test," said the 2018 Indy Pro 2000 Champion. "My first Indy Lights test was with Belardi in 2017, so I'm looking forward to testing with the team again and helping them accomplish their goals this weekend."
VeeKay previously tested with Belardi Auto Racing at the 2017 Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The annual fall test event marks the fifth time VeeKay has participated in the Chris Griffis Memorial Test. 2015 marked VeeKay's first foray into American open-wheel racing, testing in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Élan DP08 car. In 2016, VeeKay returned to the U.S. and tested in the new USF-17 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before his rookie season in 2017. After finishing second in the 2017 USF2000 Championship standings, VeeKay tested with Belardi in Indy Lights before going on to compete with Juncos Racing in Indy Pro 2000 for the 2018 season. The Road to Indy sophomore went on to win seven times en route to the 2018 Championship title and the Mazda career advancement scholarship to race in Indy Lights. This season, VeeKay finished second in the championship after six impressive wins and now holds 16 Road to Indy victories and 36 podium finishes in just 48 races.
