Rinus Veekay won’t Return to Dale Coyne Racing for 2026: Will he go to Penske?
The Dutch driver Veekay has been at Dale Coyne Racing for only a year, but he’s already out of there. This comes as a shock to many in IndyCar, especially since many had been keeping a close eye on the recently resolved Will Power situation. So why did the Dutchmen leave? Read to find out!
Level of Talent vs. The Rides He’s Been Given
Since his rookie year, Veekay has shown the world how talented he really is. When he earned his first career podium at the Indy road course with Ed Carpenter Racing, where he spent the first five seasons, he secured ECR’s sixth-ever win and its first of two wins in the 2020s. And four podiums with the American owner-driver-led team.
But what was most impressive was how consistently Veekay outdrove his equipment, with him having 7 top tens in ECR equipment, semi-regulating, and beating the big names of the sport like Penske, CGR, and Andretti on a semi-regular basis, on a team that has only won every 4 to 5 years since 2016. Something that Veekay continued this year with another mid-pack outfit, Dale Coyne.
There, he earned his fifth career podium at Toronto with a second-place finish. And Veekay had 7 top tens again, matching last season’s form on a new team. So with his talent always greater than his ride, if he got a chance to go to 1 of those elite teams that can win regularly and give him a shot at the title, who can blame him for trying to get himself a seat there? Well, that’s precisely what happened!
Seats at Penske and Ganassi May Be Open
All eyes have been placed on Will Power and Colton Herta’s recent moves away from their teams. Will Power, after 17 years, is leaving the very same team he won 2 championships and the 2018 Indy 500 with, Team Penske. The breakup comes off the back of 1 of the worst seasons in Penske’s history. The racing monopoly has only achieved two total wins all season, and no one has even finished in the top 8 of the final standings. Will Power actually had the best season of the 3 Penske drivers.
Finishing 9th in the standings and a win at Portland. However, if they’re to be believed, they both decided it was time for them to move on and create a new chapter in their lives. Power is heading to Andretti because of Herta, with the American chasing what he calls the carrot on a stick that is F1, after years of rumors about the American going to Europe, dating back to 2023, when Red Bull was looking into signing him.
Herta will be in F2 for 2026 and be a reserve driver for the brand-new American F1 team, Cadillac. It seems like Herta is being set up for a 2027 or 2028 Cadillac F1 seat. This leaves a seat that has won an IndyCar title as recently as 2022 open for VeeKay to step in and show everyone how fast he’s really been the whole time. But that might not be the only elite open seat open for 2026 in IndyCar. Let’s look over to CGR.
The Caymanian driver, Kyffin Simpson, showed improvement near the end of the season, notably battling Scott McLaughlin for 11 laps and almost denying the Kiwi the podium in the finale, ultimately finishing 4th. However, when you finish 17th in the points and secure only one podium, the same season his teammate wins his third straight title in a results-driven sport like IndyCar. With nothing confirmed, it’d be wise to be on the lookout for the driver from Barbados getting the boot and maybe Veekay walking in to take his place.
The Next Josef Newgarden
Newgarden spent his first 5 seasons in IndyCar driving for midpack teams and got a win for ECR before moving to Penske, where he won 2 IndyCar championships and 2 Indy 500s. The similar origins are undeniable, only furthered if he signs for Penske, and it’s safe to assume he’s got the talent to win titles and Indy 500s for years to come. Thanks a bunch for reading!
