VEEKAY BECOMES INDYCAR’S LATEST FIRST-TIME VICTOR

Rinus Veekay continued Indycar’s youth movement Saturday by scoring his first career victory with a win on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Dutchman became the third firsttime winner through five races this season, the most at this point in the season since 2013.

“I have never cried before when I won a race, but I did (Saturday),” said Veekay, who vowed to eat a cheesecake — perhaps the whole thing — in celebration.

The 20-year-old is the fourth winner 24 or younger to reach victory lane this season, joining Alex Palou, Colton Herta, and Pato O’ward in what is quickly becoming a changing of the guard in Indycar.

Only six-time Indycar champion Scott Dixon has been to victory lane so far this year for the veterans as the series heads next week into preparations for the Indianapolis 500.

But it is Veekay who now believes he can win the 500. He drives for local team Ed Carpenter Racing, a Chevy-powered organization that has put team owner Carpenter on the pole for the 500 three times.

“They were already like super motivated, but I’m pretty sure now for the 500 everyone is just going to be next-level motivated,” Veekay said. “I know we have a good 500 car, good oval car, I think we can really, really do well. I feel super confident.”

Veekay is so confident that he already knows should he win the 500 he’d like a bottle of whole milk. Not because it is his first choice — that would be buttermilk — but because he liked the way it looked in 2019 winner Simon Pagenaud’s photos.

“I saw the photo of Simon pouring milk on his face, and I think the whole milk gives the nice thick layer of milk, which I like,” he said.

His win Saturday was the first for ECR since Josef Newgarden won for the team in 2016. Newgarden has since moved to Team Penske and won two Indycar championships.

Veekay, meanwhile, has climbed through the Indycar development system and is the first driver to win at all four levels of the Road to Indy program.

Elsewhere

Martin Truex Jr., who won last week at Darlington, is on the pole for today’s Drydene 400 in Dover, Del., based on the mathematical formula NASCAR is using for most races this year. He’s second in the standings to teammate Denny Hamlin, who will start second.

• Austin Cindric saved his car from a serious spin early in the race and dominated late at Dover International Speedway and won his third Xfinity Series race of the season.

Josh Berry, who makes his Cup debut today at Dover, was second and Justin Allgaier was third.