A Scottsdale resident who is a race car driver will shortly be on tv screens for audiences to see. Arie Luyendyk Jr. has been announced as the next star of “The Bachelor.”

The son of Dutch race car driver, Arie Luyendyk, the younger Luyendyk also made a name for himself in racing and is now looking for love on the reality show.

Last Thursday on “Good Morning America” the announcement was made to Luyendyk becoming the new bachelor. Luyendyk told the show he kept the news very hush hush prior to the news being revealed because he wasn’t certain if he would actually be the star for this latest season. He hadn’t told his parents about it.

With a laugh and wave, he said on the show, “Hi Dad, Mom.”

The race car driver is familiar to fans of the show as he appeared on Emily Maynard’s (season eight) of “The Bachelorette” where he was the runner-up, and was in an episode of “Wipeout: Summer” titled “Bachelors vs. Bachelorettes.” Throughout the years he said that he stayed in contact with the show’s creators.

He said, “We’ve kept in touch over the last few years, but this just fit perfect; the timing of this really fit for me.”

Luyendyk, 35 (who will soon be 36), stated he decided to go on the hit ABC show since he is the last of his friends to settle down.

“All my friends around me have kids and have grown up, so for me, I feel like I’m the last one of my friends to really take that step,” he told the morning show.

When he was on the show, Luyendyk earned the nickname “Kissing Bandit” and laughed when asked if he would be returning as this.

He replied, “With the right woman.” 

Audiences will get to see if this will happen when “The Bachelor” returns to ABC in January.