Christian Rasmussen steals maiden IndyCar win after late climate warning

A spot of rain on a sunny day made all of the distinction for Christian Rasmussen on the Milwaukee Mile. Rasmussen got here to pit highway for a contemporary tires after transient rain introduced out a warning with 42 laps remaining and chased down a dominant Alex Palou over a remaining 28-lap run to attain his first NTT IndyCar Sequence victory within the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250.

“Wow,” an overjoyed Rasmussen stated after the race. “That’s a superb Sunday.”

The Danish driver was working eighth when the warning first flew and sat sixth when the inexperienced lastly got here out 14 laps later. However he shortly surged ahead when the ultimate run started. Rasmussen was as much as fourth with 25 to go, sneaking forward of teammate Alexander Rossi to guide all drivers with contemporary rubber. He handed Josef Newgarden for third a lap later, surged previous Scott McLaughlin for second with 21 laps remaining and shortly chased Palou down.

By the point Rasmussen had caught the 2025 champ with 16 laps remaining, there was little doubt over what was to return. The 25-year-old jumped to Palou’s exterior going into flip 3, survived a tense half-lap battle and marched off to a memorable victory for Ed Carpenter Racing.

“Right now was superb,” Rasmussen stated. “We have been speaking about (it) earlier than the race, that if there’s a late warning, then we need to go on new tires. As a result of it’s such a bonus. There was extra people who did it than I believed there would (be) in that final stint, but it surely was undoubtedly the suitable alternative. We have been so good on new tires, even in comparison with different vehicles on new tires.“

Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing

Picture by: Penske Leisure

Palou was the dominant driver on the day, however needed to accept second after taking the checkered flag 1.9463s behind Rasmussen. He’ll fall a minimum of one victory in need of matching A.J. Foyt and Al Unser Sr. for IndyCar’s single-season win file.

Scott McLaughlin held onto third to attain his first podium since Barber Motorsports Park in Could. Rossi and Pato O’Ward accomplished the top-five, with Christian Lundgaard, Josef Newgarden, David Malukas, Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong wrapping up the highest 10.

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, Scott McLaughlin, Workforce Penske

Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen through Getty Photos

The race was stalled out by a pair of early cautions, first for a crashing Nolan Siegel on the opening lap and once more when Graham Rahal all-but-crashed on the lap 10 restart.

These early slowdowns opened the door for a three-stop pit technique, however important tire put on left everybody planning for a minimum of 4 stops over Sunday’s 250 laps. Rossi kicked off the primary pit sequence earlier than the race hit lap 50. Stops started once more on lap 102 and once more each time one other 50 laps handed.

David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing

Picture by: Geoff Miller / Lumen through Getty Photos

For the majority of the time, it regarded like Palou would march off to a different comfy win, significantly after the final scheduled set of stops getting into the race’s remaining 50 laps. However a little bit fateful rain and a few late heroics helped Rasmussen etch his identify into the listing of IndyCar oval winners.

With Milwaukee full, only one race stays within the 2025 IndyCar season. The marketing campaign will wrap up subsequent Sunday (Aug. 31), when the collection ventures to Nashville Superspeedway for the Borchetta Bourbon Music Metropolis Grand Prix.

Pictures from Milwaukee – Race

Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing