Rinus VeeKay has taken to social media to apologise for causing the Jimmie Johnson crash which triggered the sole Caution of the Portland IndyCar race.
VeeKay was attempting to lap the #48 Chip Ganassi Racing entry as they approached the Chicane when he moved across and made left-rear to right-front contact which pushed it into the wall on drivers’ left on Lap 84.
“That one was totally on me,” VeeKay wrote on Twitter.
“I’m sorry to end [Jimmie Johnson]’s day like that. Thought I was completely past him but I wasn’t.
“Also sorry to [ECR], this was going to be a good haul of points.”
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Unsurprisingly, Johnson was irate on his radio.
“We’re in it guys, Turn 1,” he reported to his pit stand.
When asked “You okay?” the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion responded, “Yeah, he [bleep] turned into me.
“We’re damaged, we’re out.”
Rinus Veekay was penalized for this move that brought out the first caution of the day.
“This does not look like Jimmie Johnson’s fault AT ALL.” #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/Qia5iwDNmr
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 4, 2022
VeeKay had been ninth when he took his penalty just after the race restarted on Lap 89, dropping to last of the 21 still on the lead lap.
The Dutchman would regain just one position thereafter, and that was only because Christian Lundgaard had to pit after a sign got stuck on the front of his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry when he shortcut the Chicane.
Still, VeeKay was classified five positions ahead of team-mate Conor Daly, who had to retire after a fire wrecked his clutch.
The ECR duo are 12th and 17th respectively in the series standings, while Johnson occupies 21st ahead of the season finale at Laguna Seca.
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