RACE RESULTS

14th: RINUS VEEKAY No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
27th: CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet

NEXT RACE: Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park, April 28 (NBC, 1 p.m. ET)

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, NO. 20 GUYCARE CHEVROLET

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet, Finished 27th: “We had a good weekend, we were quick in our practices. It wasn’t the qualifying we wanted, but the race was the most unfortunate. I tapped the wall out of Turn 11 and thought the car was going to be fine. Then I realized my steering wheel was a little bit off and I thought it was a bent toe link. When I went into Turn 4, it just completely snapped and went around. Not how I wanted to end the day. I’m sorry to the boys, it’s going to be a quick turnaround to Barber. We will come back stronger!”

OF NOTE: 

• Christian Rasmussen qualified 21st for his first-ever race in the streets of Long Beach. While he slid back a position in the opening laps, he quickly raced his way up ahead of where he started.

• On Lap 14, Rasmussen brushed the wall in Turn 11. While working with the team to assess potential suspension damage to the No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet, the car snapped around on Rasmussen in Turn 4 and made contact. His race ended only 15 laps in and he was scored in the 27th position. 

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 CHEVROLET

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, Finished 14th: “That was a tough race. We chose to start on the green tires and hoped I could pass some guys. And, I passed some guys! I felt like the pace was pretty good on greens. Unfortunately, we lost a bit of time on that first pit sequence. I couldn’t really hold on all the way throughout that second stint on greens, but still pretty good I’d say. At the end, everybody was on different strategy. I hoped to make up some more ground, but really struggled on the blacks. It was just pretty hard to drive at that point. Still moved up, but wished I could’ve made it into the Top 12!” Courtesy INDYCAR Photo

OF NOTE: 

• Rinus VeeKay took the green flag from the 18th position in today’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, but he did not stay there for long. He used his opening set of alternate green Firestone Firehawks to his advantage and gained five positions in the first 10 laps. 

• Electing not to pit under the first and only caution, VeeKay vaulted up the order to 6th. On his alternate strategy, he made his first pit stop on Lap 28 for a second set of green tires. After a second pit stop on Lap 56, his No. 21 Chevrolet was outfitted with a set of black Firehawks to finish the race. Following his final pit stop, VeeKay gained another five positions to move from 19th to 14th by the checkered flag.