VeeKay delivers season-best qualifying for JHR

Rinus VeeKay is starting to make a habit of placing IndyCar’s smaller teams in the spotlight. The Dutchman did it throughout 2025 in his first and only season with Dale Coyne Racing, and is continuing the trend with Juncos Hollinger Racing where he was the only Chevy-powered driver to crack Firestone’s Fast Six qualifying session on Saturday at Portland.

Ahead of Team Penske as a whole, as well as Arrow McLaren, ECR and AJ Foyt Racing, VeeKay secured fifth on the grid in the No. 76 Chevy – his best of the year – which adds to other first-time achievements for JHR with its all-time best Indianapolis 500 result of sixth and its current all-time peak where he stands 10th in the drivers’ championship.

”We tested here and starting practice one, we were quick right away,” VeeKay said. “We were third that session. But then, this morning in practice two, everybody kind of started to catch up. I think we had the pace for Fast 6, definitely did, but it's just hard to make it happen. You have to be perfect.”

VeeKay took fourth at the most recent road course event at Mid-Ohio, which suggests Portland and its 110 laps could propel the 25-year-old towards another strong finish.

“Really fun, really good, with this track being this finicky and everything being this close,” he said after landing on the third row. “Good job by the Juncos Hollinger crew.”