INDIANAPOLIS — Quick, who had the only Chevrolet driver in the Fast Nine Shootout as Rinus VeeKay. Out of all four Team Penske drivers that account for five combined Indianapolis 500 wins and four series championships, you would have thought it would have been them? What about 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, or two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso?

I mean, you even have three time Indy 500 pole winner and boss Ed Carpenter too right?

Instead, out of 17 Chevrolet powered Dallara’s in this year’s field, the rookie driver outqualified them all. A 19 year old rookie at that.

VeeKay, 19, is now showing that maybe this wasn’t a fluke. Maybe he’s for real. The Dutch driver qualified on Saturday with a four-lap average of 231.114 mph in his No. 21 Chevrolet. Had to be his qualifying draw right? He will surely put his car in Row 3 among the Fast Nine on Sunday right? I mean there’s five Andretti’s and two Rahal cars in the top nine. That’s seven cars right there with vastly more experience than him. ECR would just put more downforce on his car since it’s run in the heat of the day and let the rookie just put his car into the show with a top nine starting spot right?

He proved that completely wrong. VeeKay, was only .21 mph over the course of 10 miles off from a front row starting spot. He’s the fastest rookie in the field and starts fourth in Sunday’s 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 (1 p.m. ET, NBC, INDYCAR Radio Network).

His strong performance this month has draw comparisons to a past ECR driver that’s won two of the last three series championships in fact.

“They have similarities and differences,” Ed Carpenter said of VeeKay to Josef Newgarden. “I feel like so far, he’s taken to this place a little quicker than Josef did if I’m going to be fully honest. He’s very talented. He definitely got very comfortable here really quick whether it be quali trim or race trim. He’s done an outstanding job and really proud of him.”

VeeKay, a teenager still, says he’s ready. He talks with his teammates and driver coach every day. He feels super ready for Sunday. He’s even got Carpenter and two-time Indy 500 champion Arie Luyendyk feeding him plenty of advice on what to expect of the longest race that he’s ever driven in.

“I thought the ‘500 was about the whole race, but it’s more about saying in position for the first 150 laps and then the last 50 laps is just flat out,” VeeKay said on what is the best advice Carpenter or Luyendyk has given him thus far. “I think really Ed and Arie have both said the same thing about taking it easy and kind of experiment in the first two quarters of the race on what I can do and what my strength points are for the last 50 laps. I’m fully prepared to win in the final showdown.”

VeeKay now says that the wait is making his nerves go wild. He knows the great opportunity that he has but these days off between Sunday and Carb Day/Race Day is making him think about it a little more.

“They were long days,” VeeKay said of the wait. “Of course you’re so much in rhythm. This place is so fun to drive then you have to wait a few days. These days are long. I just want to drive. These days off are long. I’m so excited for the ‘500 just everyday I wake up, there’s three days to go, two days to go. I’m counting down the days. We’re getting very close. I’m super excited.

“I could feel some nerves yesterday and the day before but you let go of it. It’s more like a healthy kind of nerves. I always get some nerves. I’m not worried, I just super ready to go.”

This was also the fastest VeeKay has even gone in his life. I mean most 19 year olds are traveling in cars around 75 mph on a highway. He’s doing 240 mph here.

“It didn’t take too long to be honest,” VeeKay said on getting used to the speed. “You get pretty used to the speed quickly. Once you go around here flat, you know it is possible and you can do it. After a couple of laps, everything feels normal again.”

He’s a sleeper to watch this weekend, even if no fans can be here to witness it in person.

“Normally you walk onto the Speedway and the grandstands are packed,” said the Netherlands native on being here without any fans. “The fans normally bring the energy that makes it unique from everywhere is. It makes it a little less Indy. Still when you’re going 230 or 240 mph, you’re just thinking about going as quick as possible. The sensation that you get when driving here is still more than I thought even without fans.”