Home Indycar Pro Mazda Rinus VeeKay starts his Pro Mazda career with a perfect weekend

Rinus VeeKay starts his Pro Mazda career with a perfect weekend

Rinus Van Kalmthout has started his Pro Mazda career with a perfect weekend in St. Pete, where he has won both races and leads the championship over Parker Thompson. Juncos also had another car in third place in both races.

Guillermo Moreno

13/03/2018

On the first race, USF 2000 reigning champion Oliver Askew had the pole position, but he quickly lost the lead when Harrison Scott dived into turn 1 and both drivers ran wide, giving the lead to Parker Thompson. Robert Meggenis improved from fifth to second and Rinus ‘VeeKay’ Van Kalmthout made up five places, from eight on the grid to third position.

Rafael Martins and Carlos Cunha made contact in turn 5. Martins ended up into the wall and retired, the first caution waved. At the restart, VeeKay passed Meggenis for second place. Thompson had opened a solid three-second gap but, on lap 14, rookie driver James Raven crashed and brought out the pace car again.

The race restarted in lap 17 and VeeKay tried to pass Thompson at turn 1. The Canadian driver defended the position, but the 2017 USF 2000 runner-up managed to pass at turn 2. Thompson tried to regain the lead, but was unable to pass VeeKay, who took win on his very first Pro Mazda race followed by Thompson and Meggenis. It was a perfect day for VeeKay, who also took pole for race 2.

The second race started with VeeKay on Pole, but there was a crazy start and the race was red-flagged due to debris on track. The race got re-started with all 16 cars still running, but a communication glitch caused a mess on the start order, and Harrison Scott found himself on the lead, with VeeKay on 12^th place.

All drivers had to return to their right position before the green flag waved. He held the lead, but David Malukas put the pressure on him during the entire race. Oliver Askew was third but he clipped the wall and damaged the car, so he was dropped to seventh place. Kris Wright crashed and caused a caution.

The fight for the lead was thrilling during the entire race, but Malukas was unable to find a way to pass VeeKay, who took his second win by only half a second. His teammate Cunha ended in third position. Sting Ray Robb finished in fourth place with Thompson, who was second in race 1, completing the top 5.

VeeKay leads the championship with a 19-point advantage to Thompson. The next round will be held in Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, the 21^st and 22^nd of April.