Race Car Driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. Tabbed As 'The Bachelor' For Season 22
Race car driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. has been tabbed as the leading man for the 22nd season of The Bachelor, ABC revealed on Good Morning America.
Luyendyk, 35, was previously a contestant on season eight of The Bachelorette, when he was the runner-up on Emily Maynard's season.
“This is pretty surreal,” Luyendyk Jr. told PEOPLE. “It doesn’t really feel real yet, but I’m taking it step by step. The timing is just so perfect in my life. I could not be more excited for this journey I’m about to embark on.”
“I’m not nervous,” he added. “Now that I’ve had some time and distance away from it, it feels like the feeling I had before I went into it the first time. I think sometimes when you’re on The Bachelorette and you jump right into being the Bachelor, for me it would’ve been too soon. This feels more natural. I’m not concerned what people think. I’m just focused on the outcome. I want to find my person and will do whatever it takes!”
He is the son of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Arie Luyendyk.
• Formerly paralyzed ESPN host joins DWTS cast
Luyendyk Jr. has been a race car driver since 1992 and has competed in the Indianapolis 500. The Dutchman has also competed in the A1 Grand Prix in 2007 as a member of the Netherland's teams. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 Summer X Games in Austin during his brief time into Stadium Super Trucks. He has done come work as a television analyst and commentator.
The next season of The Bachelor will premiere in January 2018.
