Alex Palou owned the Snap-on 250 at the Milwaukee Mile for all but the last 15 laps when Christian Rasmussen chased down the new IndyCar Series champion and ripped the lead – and a potential ninth win – from his hands to score his first victory.
Rasmussen spent the afternoon firing past cars on the inside and outside, often with big oversteer moments to correct with the No. 21 Chevy and brought Ed Carpenter Racing back to Victory Lane in grand style.
“Feels amazing,” Rasmussen said. “You know, I think it’s just a testament on where this team is going. There’s so much work that’s going into this, all of this year, with rebuilding ECR as a great race team. I think this is a great way to end the season. We have one more, but, I mean, hopefully, we can do the same.
“I thought that was the exact right choice to come in and get tires. I even said it on the radio before. It was kind of through code, but that was kind of what I meant.
“We even talked about it before the race, that if there’s a late caution we need to go on new tires because it’s such an advantage. Good day at the office.”
Palou held on for second in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, finishing 1.9s in arrears, and behind him, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin completed the podium with the No. 3 Chevy. ECR’s Alexander Rossi took fourth for the team in the No. 20 Chevy with Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward in fifth in the No. 5 Chevy and teammate Christian Lundgaard in sixth with the No. 7 Chevy.
The pivotal moment of the race emerged during the final caution when light sprinkles triggered a yellow where the top three drivers had recently pitted and those behind chose to stop and have new tires to use when the restart eventually took place. Rasmussen was the big mover who charged past the leaders and drove off into the distance.
“It was an amazing day for us,” Palou said. “We didn’t lead the lap that counted. They just did a little better than us.”
Front-row starter David Malukas passed Palou at one point and also settled into a strong second-place run but was felled during an early pit stop when a wheel gun issue led to an extended stay on pit lane and he went a lap down. As one of the lower-placed drivers to stop late for new tires, Malukas charged forward as well and reached eighth at the finish line.
The hearty crowd at the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds cheered as loud as any this season as Rasmussen completed his victory lap and launched into a series of donuts that filled the air with white tire smoke.