WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Christian Rasmussen put on the show of the year in IndyCar racing with fearless abandon to track down race leader Alex Palou and make the race-winning pass with 15 laps to go to win Sunday’s Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250 a the famed Milwaukee Mile.
He defeated the four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Palou by 1.943 seconds in what was a splendid victory for the Splenda Chevrolet.
The Ed Carpenter Racing driver became the first first-time NTT IndyCar Series winner in 39 races.
“Good job boys, wow, what a race,” Rasmussen said after scoring his first win in his 30th start. “Today was amazing. We were talking about before the race if there is a late caution, we need to go on new tires. It was definitely the right choice. We were so good on new tires.
“Wow, that’s a good day.
“A good Sunday.”
For Rasmussen, it was a “Checkers or Wreckers” moment for ECR Racing.
“I knew this was coming for Christian, he is the best there is for short ovals, that yellow played in his hand,” team owner Ed Carpenter said. “The whole group worked together well. A great team effort.”
Rasmussen won the race and was followed by Palou, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, ECR’s Alexander Rossi and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard.
Just when it appeared that Palou was cruising to his ninth win of the season, five seconds of rain on an otherwise sunny day changed the outcome of the race at The Milwaukee Mile.
With 42 laps to go, rain drops began to fall and the yellow flag waved, despite most of the sky displaying sunshine.
Much of the field came down pit lane on 213, but Palou, McLaughlin and Newgarden stayed on track, creating a gap in the old tires and the fresh tires.
With 28 laps to go, the green flag waved with the top three cars on older tires, while drivers such as Rossi found the trip. Palou was able to get off to a good lead, but would his tires hold up for the duration of the race?
The answer was a resounding, “No.”
O’Ward tried to pass Rossi, but he closed the gap and that allowed Rasmussen to pass Rossi. Rasmussen then went side-by-side with ECR teammate Rossi.
Rasmussen passed Newgarden and Rossi with 23 laps to go, with Newgarden saving the car entering Turn 1.
Rasmussen blew past McLaughlin for second place with 20 laps to go and set his sights on Palou, 1.7-seconds ahead in the lead.
Palou’s lead was cut from 1.195-second to 0.7185 seconds in one lap on Lap 233 as Rasmussen rapidly closed on the leader.
Rasmussen took the high line around Palou on Lap 235 to make the pass for the lead, and presumably the win, if he could maintain over the next 15 laps.
The race saw 685 on-track passes with 306 for position. Both are second-most on-record for IndyCar at the one-mile oval.
Rasmussen and Dixon each had a race-high 48 on-track passes. Palou led a race-high 199 laps. Rasmussen led 16.
Palou got off to a great start at the drop of the green flag to start the race, but it didn’t last long as Nolan Siegel pile-drove the No. 6 Arrow McLaren entry into the fourth-turn wall after he got too low on the apron.
The yellow flag immediately came out after the end of one lap.
Green-flag racing resumed on Lap 10, but another caution was immediately called one lap later after a three-wide battle and a spin by Graham Rahal in Turn 1.
Palou led the field to the restart on Lap 16 with Malukas on his gearbox. Palou went low, held his line, but Malukas used the high lane to take the lead in Turn 2. Malukas stayed in front and encountered lapped traffic on Lap 37, with the dirty air impacting his downforce.
Palou tracked down Malukas and moved back into the lead on Lap 43. It appeared Palou’s No. 10 Honda was better in the dirty air than Malukas’ No. 4 Chevrolet.
Will Power moved up to fifth, just behind Conor Daly in fourth with Scott McLaughlin third.
Power pitted on Lap 56 for fresh Firestones. McLaughlin and Dixon joined him on pit lane, but McLaughlin left his pit box in front of Dixon, who was pulling into his. Newgarden pitted on Lap 58.
Malukas and Palou both pitted after 59 laps and Palou was able to get out ahead of Malukas. During this round of pit stops, it moved Louis Foster into the lead ahead of Palou, but Foster pitted one laps later.
That moved Palou back into the lead ahead of McLaughlin, Malukas, Alexander Rossi and Power.
By Lap 84, Palou led second-place McLaughlin by 8.2952 seconds.
On Lap 102, Palou led McLaughlin, Malukas, Herta and Newgarden. Mclaughlin pitted on Lap 104 and Malukas later that lap. But Malukas had an issue in the pits, just as Palou made it into pit lane. When that happened, Will Power got into the marbles and hit the Turn 2 wall, continued in the race, but spun in Turn 3 for another caution period.
The air gun failed on Malukas’ Chevrolet, putting him one lap down.
Amid the chaos, Scott Dixon was the leader ahead of Marcus Armstrong and Palou.
Pit lane opened on Lap 116 with Dixon, Armstrong and others making a pit stop. Palou and Malukas stayed on track.
Back to green on Lap 119 with Palou leading McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward into Turn 1. Newgarden raced his way up to fifth on Lap 121 and fourth when he passed Christian Lundgaard on Lap 122.
Newgarden drag raced O’Ward down the front straight, popped out of line at the start/finish line and passed his way to third place in Turn 1 on Lap 124.
While this battle was raging, it allowed Palou to pull out to a 5.571-second lead over McLaughlin on Lap 135.
Palou put Armstrong a lap down on Lap 141, just before another caution period. Callum Ilott’s No. 90 Chevrolet for Prema Racing had an issue as smoke pillowed out of the rear of the car. The caution was to check the area for oil on the track.
Pit lane opened on Lap 146 led by Palou, who narrowly beat McLaughlin off pit lane to maintain the lead in that group, second overall because Armstrong was scored as the leader by staying out.
The track sweepers were sent on course to clean off the marbles on the racing surface. Malukas pitted a few laps after the lead cars had pitted to put 24 cars of the 27 that started the race on the lead lap.
Armstrong led the field to the green flag on Lap 154 with wild racing from behind. Palou passed Armstrong for the lead at the end of that lap and began to drive away from the field as Armstrong dropped to 14th in just two laps.
Rivals Christian Rasmussen and Conor Daly engaged in a lively battle for seventh position, just one race after the two were involved in contact at Portland. Daly was able to keep Rasmussen from mounting a charge as Rasmussen’s tires began to lose grip.
At Lap 187, Palou led McLaughlin by 2.5149 seconds.
Dixon pitted on Lap 194 as green flag pit stops began. Malukas pitted one lap later as did O’Ward.
Palou made his final pit stop on Lap 196 as the leader. He maintained the lead after a smooth stop and coming out ahead of McLaughlin on the race track.
At Lap 200, Palou led McLaughlin by 1.8520 seconds.
That was a prelude to Rasmussen’s dramatic drive to victory.
