RACE PREVIEW – GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Source: Team PR

GMR GRAND PRIX AT IMS RACE PREVIEW

RACE: GMR Grand Prix
TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course)
LOCATION: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
TRACK LAYOUT: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
RACE LENGTH: 85 Laps/207.315 Miles

PRACTICE: Friday – 9:30-10:45 a.m. ET (Peacock Premium),
1-2 p.m. ET (Peacock Premium)
Saturday – 11:15-11:45 a.m. ET (Peacock Premium)
QUALIFYING: Friday – 4-5:15 p.m. ET (Peacock Premium)
RACE: Saturday – 3:45 p.m. ET (NBC, 3:30 p.m. ET)

The Month of May begins with the GMR Grand Prix, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race. The unique track winds through the infield and incorporates portions of the famous oval. Conor Daly and Rinus VeeKay will begin the month of on-track activity this weekend before Ed Carpenter joins them on the oval next Tuesday to begin Indianapolis 500 practice. The IMS Road Course is home to VeeKay’s first pole position, first podium and first win in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Daly is also no stranger to strong results on the road course, having one of his best weekends with ECR to date in the GMR Grand Prix last year.

CONOR DALY, No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet: “The GMR Grand Prix is one of my favorite events! The IMS Road Course has been a successful place for me in the past, both in qualifying and the race. Just need to get on the podium now! We hope that we have the same speed we had last year, if anything be faster! We will all work together and get a good result. We need the season to turn around now, it has been really difficult to handle so far. Hopefully, all smiles and happiness this month and starting off strong at the Indy GP always helps!”

OF NOTE:

  • Second-generation racer Conor Daly climbed into a kart for the first time at the age of 10; within five years, he was competing in both United States and international open-wheel ladder systems. He found success in each before concentrating solely on American motorsports in 2015.
  • Daly is now in his fourth season with ECR and his second as full-time driver of the No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet. Last month, Daly reached a career milestone as he competed in his 100th NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. This year’s Indianapolis 500, which will take place later this month, will be his 10th. 
  • The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is truly Daly’s home track as he was born and raised in nearby Noblesville, Ind. The 2022 GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course remains Daly’s most successful weekend with ECR to date. For the second year in a row, he advanced to the Firestone Fast 6 and started 4th. After battling both wet and dry track conditions, he earned his first Top 5 finish of the season.

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet: “I am very excited to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course again! Of course, it’s the place where I won my first race and it’s great to come back as a previous winner. Hopefully double it up this year! I am ready to get back to good results and if there’s a perfect place to do it, it’s at IMS for the road course and the Speedway itself! I can’t wait to get the Month of May started. I’m ready for the adventure!”

OF NOTE:

  • Born in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. Just four years into his time in the United States, he not only reached the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, but earned 2020 Rookie of the Year honors. 
  • In the most recent event at Barber Motorsports Park, VeeKay made his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start. The 22-year-old has spent his entire NTT INDYCAR SERIES career with Ed Carpenter Racing and is the team’s longest-tenured full-time driver, now in his fourth season behind the wheel the No. 21 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet. 
  • The IMS Road Course is home to many of VeeKay’s career milestones. In just his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, VeeKay recorded his first Top 5 finish on the road course in July of 2020. A few months later in the October event, VeeKay earned his first pole position, led the first laps of his career and earned his first podium finish. In May 2021, he joined the ranks of race winners when he scored his first victory. Last season, VeeKay added another Top 10 finish to his tally with a 6th place in the July race held at the track.