IndyCar: 5 longshot picks to win the 2024 Indy 500
By Asher Fair
2. Rinus VeeKay: +2500
For Rinus VeeKay, it's all about capitalizing on his speed and putting a full 500-mile race together, something he hasn't yet been able to do. That's obviously a big deal when you're talking about the Indy 500, but the potential for the No. 21 Chevrolet to give team owner Ed Carpenter his first Indy 500 victory is clearly there.
VeeKay has started on the front row for three straight Indy 500s, and as a 19-year-old rookie in 2020, he qualified on the inside of the second row in fourth place.
A pit road issue ruined his race in 2020, and he admitted after the 2021 race that he probably pushed too hard in the opening stint; he was never a factor afterwards and had to settle for eighth place. In 2022, he was the first driver to wreck, and in 2023, he had a race-winning car before making a mistake leaving his pit box, which also collected polesitter Alex Palou.
VeeKay and Palou were both able to rally to 10th and fourth place, respsectively, with VeeKay needing to rally from a subsequent penalty as well.
Carpenter takes exception to the idea that his cars are only fast on qualifying weekend. But until one of them actually wins the race, however, it's a perception that many are going to have. VeeKay has the speed to change that, but does he have the ability to go the distance?