Arie Luyendyk Jr. posted a photo of himself on Instagram with a rose in hand at the "Good Morning America" studio on Sept. 7. After ABC officially announced that Luyendyk was the new star of "The Bachelor" franchise, fans were quick to take to social media to express their opinions of this choice. While newer "Bachelor" enthusiasts might not be familiar with Luyendyk, hardcore fans will undoubtedly remember him from Season 8 of "The Bachelorette." Five seasons have passed since Luyendyk was on the show, so here are five things to know about the new-yet-old ABC hunk.
1. He was the runner-up on "The Bachelorette" in 2012.
Luyendyk first appeared on Emily Maynard’s season of "The Bachelorette" in 2012. He was a fan favorite throughout the show, but Maynard ended up picking entrepreneur Jef Holm instead of Luyendyk. Her explanation was that she felt engaging in a relationship with another race car driver hit too close to home. Her late fiancé, race car driver Ricky Hendrick, died in a plane crash in 2004. Luyendyk was devastated and even flew out to her hometown to try and reconcile their relationship, he confessed on an episode of "After the Final Rose," which is a talk show following every finale of the "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette."
2. His dad, Arie Luyendyk Sr., is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
Luyendyk Sr. won the Indianapolis 500 in 1990 and 1997. He is also known as “The Flying Dutchman." According to People, he spent his childhood in the Netherlands, and his father owned a garage where he repaired cars.
3. Luyendyk Jr. is a race car driver himself.
The Netherlands native started his career racing karts and eventually made his way to America's racing scene. He did well in Firestone’s Indy Lights, the racing development series where IndyCar drivers get their start. Luyendyk started racing in Indy Lights in 2002 and won one race, according to the Indy Lights website. He attempted to race in the Indianapolis 500 in 2005, but did not qualify. However, he did qualify in 2006 for the 500-mile race and placed 28th. According to an article by Bustle, he now races in Stadium Super Trucks and Traxxas TORC Series and has multiple fourth-place finishes.
4. Luyendyk resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The former race car driver currently lives in the Grand Canyon state and frequently posts on Instagram about the active lifestyle he lives. One such photo features Luyendyk riding a bike with a giant cactus in the background.
5. Despite his graying hair, he is only 35 years old.
Born on Sept. 18, 1981, Luyendyk is young, despite his hair color making him look older than he is.
Former bachelor Sean Lowe, who also vied for Maynard's heart on Season 8, quoted a tweet from "The Bachelor" Twitter account that said, "It's about time! Couldn't have picked a better guy."
Whether America is happy with ABC's pick or not, there is no doubt fans will tune in to watch Luyendyk finally get his second chance at love.
