RACE RESULTS 

12th: RINUS VEEKAY No. 21 Chevrolet
14th: CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN* No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet

NEXT RACE: Streets of St. Petersburg, March 2, 2025

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, NO. 20 GUYCARE CHEVROLET

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet, Finished 14th:“I felt like today’s race for me was really up and down! Throughout a lot of the race, I really didn’t know where we were as the field was so mixed. Once we got kicked loose and I didn’t have to hit the fuel number anymore, we had a lot of pace. We basically put a lap on the car we needed to in a very short amount of time. We were flying! That was super fun. There was one objective today – to make Leader’s Circle – and we did it! Good day!” Photo Courtesy of INDYCAR

OF NOTE: 

• Despite never having turned a single lap at Nashville Superspeedway prior to yesterday’s first practice session, Christian Rasmussen set the 8th-fastest lap of the field. His two-lap average during qualifications was 17th overall; however, a fire ignited in the back of the No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet immediately following his run. While the crew quickly extinguished the flames, the car required a new engine. Rasmussen received a multi-position grid penalty and started 25th this afternoon.

• Rasmussen was off to a flying start, working his way up to 17th in only 12 laps. After starting on alternate red Firestone Firehawks, he made his first pit stop on Lap 43. Additional stops followed on Laps 94 and 140 with Rasmussen working diligently to continue a clean and steady race.

• While Rasmussen worked to save fuel in the middle of his final stint, the decision was made to let him race and take a splash of fuel at the end. Rasmussen brought the car in with six laps remaining, all but solidifying a 14th place finish. With a spectacular drive from 25th to 14th, Rasmussen moved the No. 20 Chevrolet to 22nd in the entrant standings and locked in Leader’s Circle funding for the 2025 season.

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 CHEVROLET

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 Chevrolet, Finished 12th:“We opted to start on the red tires and just get them out of the way, knowing they had more degradation. That took us off the leader’s strategy, which was unlucky, but then it felt like every time we pitted it went yellow! All the cautions worked against us, but we had a really, really good car. I would say if things went the right way we could have beat anyone! It was an awesome car. Finishing 12th isn’t bad, but there was so much more available. Kind of sums up the season as a whole! We did so many things right, but so many things didn’t go our way. But the team never gave up and I thank them for all the work they did all year! Time for the offseason!”

OF NOTE: 

• In yesterday’s qualifications, Rinus VeeKay’s two-lap average placed him 12th on the starting grid. As other competitors had to serve penalties for unapproved engine changes, he moved up the order. He rolled off 10th for his first race at Nashville Superspeedway.

• VeeKay began the 206-lap race on a set of alternate red Firestone Firehawks. He moved up two positions in the early laps, then stretched his opening set of tires to Lap 40 before stopping for a second set. When the first yellow flag flew, VeeKay elected to pit for primary black tires on Lap 63. Though he was trapped two laps down due to the caution, he continued to execute passes until his next stop on Lap 124.

• Just as VeeKay was beginning to carve his way back through the field, the caution flag flew once again and halted his forward progress. After another pit stop for black tires, VeeKay sat 18th for the Lap 146 restart. He raced his way up to 15th, then settled in to save fuel. With so much of the race remaining, the No. 21 Chevrolet crew elected to take a splash of fuel with five laps to go. Without the constraints of having to save fuel, VeeKay raced up to the 12th position by the checkered flag.