Beyond the Flag
Fansided

IndyCar: Early 2020 power rankings; a new champion?

By Asher Fair

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 08: Takuma Sato of Japan, driver of the #30 ABeam Consulting Honda, races Scott Dixon of New Zealand, driver of the #9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, at the start of the NTT IndyCar Series DXC Technology 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 08, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 08: Takuma Sato of Japan, driver of the #30 ABeam Consulting Honda, races Scott Dixon of New Zealand, driver of the #9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, at the start of the NTT IndyCar Series DXC Technology 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 08, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 12: Rinus Veekay, driver of the #21 Sonax Chevrolet (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 12: Rinus Veekay, driver of the #21 Sonax Chevrolet (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

#16 and #15

No. 55. Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh, Honda. ALEX PALOU. #16.

Had it been known that Sebastien Bourdais would not return to Dale Coyne Racing for the 2020 season prior to when it was announced unexpectedly less than a week before Thanksgiving, Alex Palou likely would have ended up in this ride a lot sooner. The former Japanese Super Formula driver impressed the team in a test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in late July, logging 102 laps around the 13-turn, 2.258-mile (3.634-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Lexington, Ohio, and it was he who was selected by the team over two other named drivers and one unnamed driver on Dale Coyne’s shortlist. What can he accomplish in year one?

. No. 21. Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet. RINUS VEEKAY. #15

Rinus VeeKay is a rare breed in modern-day IndyCar, having climbed the entire Road to Indy ladder from top to bottom to get to the sport’s highest level. And let’s not forget the fact that he is not only 19 years old but only turned 19 years old just before the 2019 season ended. Winner of the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship and runner-up in the 2017 U.S. F2000 National Championship and 2019 Indy Lights standings, VeeKay has proven he is ready for his full-time driver role at Ed Carpenter Racing. Set to replace 2015 Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot, VeeKay aims to become the first driver to win a race for Ed Carpenter Racing since now two-time champion and Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden won at Iowa Speedway back in 2016. He is fully capable of doing it.