McLaughlin third as Rasmussen stuns for first IndyCar win

The Ed Carpenter Racing driver put on a clinic in his 30th career start, pitting late and making the most of a tyre advantage to surge from seventh to the lead.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou was the dominant force all day, leading 199 of the 250-lap race distance from pole position.

He made his final pit stop on Lap 196. Rasmussen stopped on Lap 191 but when a light shower came across the circuit and brought out the caution, he gambled on a fifth pit stop on Lap 213.

The tyre disparity between Rasmussen and Palou paid dividends.

Palou led the field to green on Lap 222 with Team Penske duo Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden in tow. Pato O’Ward, the first driver on fresh tyres, was fourth followed by Alexander Rossi, Christian Lundgaard, Rasmussen, Scott Dixon, David Malukas, and Marcus Armstrong.

Rasmussen began ripping the high line and went around O’Ward and Rossi before dispatching Newgarden down low. With 20 laps to go, Rasmussen got McLaughlin around the outside.

Rasmussen quickly ate through a 1.5-second deficit to Palou and the race-winning move came on Lap 235 around the Spaniard’s outside. Then the Danish driver cleared out to a two-second lead to take the win.

OH MY GOODNESS CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN TO THE LEAD AT MILWAUKEE! pic.twitter.com/lXqa0vNQh1

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) August 24, 2025

In Victory Lane, Rasmussen was greeted by his teammate Rossi, who finished fourth behind McLaughlin.

“Our ovals have been pretty good this year. Today was amazing,” said Rasmussen.

“We were talking about before the race that if there’s a late caution then we want to go on new tyres because it’s just such an advantage.

“There were more people that did it than I thought there would in the last stint, but it was definitely the right choice.

“We were so good on new tyres even compared to other cars on new tyres. Wow. That’s a good day.”

Team owner Ed Carpenter hailed Rasmussen’s race-winning run.

“I knew this was coming for Christian,” said Carpenter.

“He’s the best there is right now on short ovals, he’s shown it all season long.

“That yellow really played into his hand and he did an amazing job taking advantage of his new tyres and Chevy power.

“It feels so good. It’s been a while since we won a race. Happy to be here and really a great team weekend with Alex in P4.”

Trouble for Will Power. pic.twitter.com/7wo9wub9lf

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) August 24, 2025

The race was punctuated by two incidents, the first on Lap 1 when McLaren’s Nolan Siegal spun coming through the final turn.

On Lap 104, Will Power tried to round up Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson. However, the Team Penske driver’s bid to go around the outside wound up with him clattering the wall.

Callum Ilott drew the caution on Lap 140 when his Prema cried no more and smoke began to pour from the engine.

Results: IndyCar Series Milwaukee Mile 250, Milwaukee Mile