After a particularly difficult 2024 season, in which no fewer than nine different drivers took the wheel of Dale Coyne Racing’s two cars, the team hopes to make progress again this year. With veteran Rinus VeeKay and rookie Jacob Abel, the team has secured two full-season drivers, aiming to build toward a better future.

Rinus VeeKay

Although Rinus VeeKay consistently outperformed his teammates over the past five seasons and managed to finish in the top ten seven times despite less competitive equipment, he was dropped by Ed Carpenter Racing this past winter. He quickly landed a test with Dale Coyne Racing, where he impressed the team so much that they wanted to move forward with him. The team spent the entire winter searching for sponsorship, until last week, when the long-awaited confirmation came: the Dutchman will race full-time for Dale Coyne Racing this year.

"Both sides came away with a good feeling after the test in Indianapolis in November," VeeKay recalled. "For me, it was immediately clear that I wanted to join Dale. He’s been doing this for a long time and has a great eye for the sport. Plus, it felt like coming home. After just a few laps, I could already communicate easily with both the engineers and mechanics. I’m truly very grateful to Dale for giving me this opportunity.”

Jacob Abel

With Jacob Abel, the team has signed the runner-up from the 2024 Indy NXT season. The young American has made significant progress in Indy NXT over the past three seasons: in his second year, he finished on the podium four times, and in his third season, he won three races and finished outside the podium only four times. Now, he hopes to continue his upward trajectory in the IndyCar Series.

“It’s hard to set goals for my first IndyCar season,” Abel said. “But I think the first and most obvious goal would be the Rookie of the Year title. I expect it to be between Robert Shwartzman, myself, and Louis, whom I’ve raced against before. We’re all in teams of similar size and position, but I think it’s going to be a pretty competitive battle. That’s definitely one of my goals, along with the Indy 500.”

“For me personally, it’s all about maximizing every opportunity, making the most of it, and learning as much as I can. I’m in a very fortunate position to have a full season ahead of me, where I can learn—not just from my mistakes, but also from my successes. Hopefully, I can continue to grow throughout the year without taking on too much at once.”