VENTURA, Calif. — NTT IndyCar Series race winner Christian Rasmussen will trade his No. 21 Chevrolet Indy car for a dirt midget this Thanksgiving weekend.
He will compete in the 85th Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway Saturday, Nov. 28.
Rasmussen will drive a Spike chassis fielded by car owner Johnny Cofer. With support from the Agajanian family, the car will emulate the iconic 1952 Agajanian Special paint scheme. The entry marks the reunion of both Johnny and Dan Esslinger, as Cofer won the 1994 USAC Western States Midget Championship with Esslinger as team owner.
Now, the pair is back together to put Rasmussen in the seat. The Cofer and Esslinger names have been part of West Coast midget racing for more than three decades.
“I’m excited to try something that is completely out of my wheelhouse,” Rasmussen said. “But most of all, I’m excited to get to work with Johnny Cofer and Dan Esslinger. It’s an honor to run the 1952 Agajanian Special paint scheme, and it couldn’t be at a more fitting event.”
Cofer is enthusiastic about the pairing.
“I want to thank ECR for the opportunity to work with Christian. He’s an incredibly special talent. It’s been so special to work with my daughter, Maria, on this entry, and I’m fired up to go racing again with Dan Esslinger,” Cofer said. “Tapping into his brilliant mind will make this even more exciting. Having the whole family back together again means a great deal to all of us.”
Esslinger is also looking forward to Turkey Night.
“To be able to go racing with Johnny Cofer again is like a dream come true for me,” Esslinger said. “To add Maria Cofer and Christian Rasmussen together with my whole family is really something special. I only wish my dad was still here to see it. For now, this is just a one race deal. But stay tuned, this could get interesting.”
