PORTLAND, Oregon — Zach Veach’s gradual growth in becoming a more serious Verizon IndyCar Series contender has rewarded the rookie with a first Firestone Fast Six qualifying effort for today’s Grand Prix of Portland.
That Veach starts a career-best sixth in the 105-lap race on Portland International Raceway’s 1.964-mile permanent road course might be a precursor of more positives to come. The 23-year-old Ohioan has had four consecutive top-10 finishes in Andretti Autosport's No. 26 Group 1001 Honda, including a fifth-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park eight days ago.
“Every race, things have been getting better and better,” Veach said. “To be coming off the fifth at Gateway to starting in our first Fast Six, hopefully we can run for another top five or maybe even a podium (today).”
On a day when three Andretti Autosport cars qualified in the top six and the fourth ended up ninth, Veach credited teammates Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti for helping him speed up the learning curve. Veach also conceded he’s benefited recently from testing at tracks before the races.
“I’m lucky the past three places that we’ve ran at — I think a lot of it is an experience gap between rookie and the guys who have been doing it for a bit, because I was lucky to test at Gateway, lucky to test at Pocono, lucky to test here about a month ago,” Veach said. “That really just helps you kind of get up to speed a little quicker and have a better understanding of how to get toward the top of the charts.”
Rossi, who is 26 points behind points leader Scott Dixon in second, credited Veach’s test data input for being instrumental in his recent win at Pocono. Rossi will roll off from the third starting position.
Hunter-Reay, who will start alongside Veach in fifth, complimented his young teammate on the recent rise.
“I think he’s really exceeded everyone’s expectations,” Hunter-Reay said. “We all had high expectations for him, but just his approach and optimism and the way he works with us, the teammates, he’s been a great add to the team.
“I’ve been really impressed with him. Especially in some of the hairier corners, he’s one of the most committed. Some of them have huge consequences, and when you have those types of corners, he’s usually the one that’s very fast there. It’s cool to see that. He wants it. He’s hungry. It’s good to see that in a young kid. He’s definitely going to be very good in this series.”
The broadcast for today’s 105-lap race begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and Advance Auto Parts Radio Network.
Veach has said in recent weeks that he hoped to grab at least one podium finish before the season ends one race from now at Sonoma. Perhaps today will be the culmination of enough positives to see that happen.
“The big thing has just been a little bit of confidence and understanding the car and where the speed is at,” Veach said. “I’m very lucky to have the teammates I do, so every weekend they set the bar insanely high and I’m just trying to close the gap all the time. It’s just learning. Each weekend, it gets easier and easier. You see where that level is going to be and that’s what you strive to get to.”