A vehicle wheel having a hub and a rim joined by a plurality of spokes supporting the rim on the hub, the rim having a center section and inner and outer flanges, with a spoke receiving section in the rim joining the rim center section and outer flange, the spoke receiving section being of a thickness greater than the center section, with a plurality of radially positioned spoke receiving passages in the spoke receiving section. The spoke receiving passages comprise a first set of passages alternating with a second set of passages, with the passages of the first set slanting inward toward the center of the rim and with the passages of the second set slanting outward toward the outer flange of the rim.