Scott McLaughlin celebrated his victory at the Milwaukee Mile 250 in a memorable way, playfully rubbing a cream donut in Christian Rasmussen’s face.
The Race Dynamics
During the race, McLaughlin was in second place behind champion-elect Alex Palou when a sudden rain shower hit the oval track. This situation proved advantageous for Christian Rasmussen, who took the opportunity to pit for fresh tires. As a result, he surged from seventh place to ultimately lead the race and claim victory. McLaughlin, who finished third, acknowledged that calling for a caution was the right decision. “I saw it on my windshield. I called it. That’s a bad situation for anyone on an oval, very dangerous,” he remarked. He emphasized the importance of safety for all drivers, regardless of the outcome for himself.
Palou, who dominated the race by leading 199 laps, shared McLaughlin’s view. “I agree. Even though it was not good for me, I agree with the decision,” the Spaniard stated. He pointed out that the rain could have caused dangerous conditions, particularly in turns one and three, where a driver could easily lose control.
Strategic Decisions
The final caution opened up new strategic possibilities. McLaren’s Pato O’Ward was running fourth, about four seconds behind the leader when the yellow flag was waved on Lap 209. [IMAGE1CONTEXT:bmw_209] McLaughlin finished third in the Milwaukee Mile 250. Image: Joe Skibinski. O’Ward led a large group of cars into the pit lane, but it was Rasmussen who capitalized on the fresh tires. McLaughlin reflected on the tough decision of whether to pit or stay out. “It’s a tough decision for anyone to give up that track position. Ultimately that’s what we both did. For me, it was a net loss of one. Same as Alex,” he explained.
When the race resumed on Lap 222, Rasmussen quickly moved past the cars in front of him, including lapped traffic, to take the lead by Lap 235. “They were updating me on the radio,” Palou shared about Rasmussen’s rapid ascent. “I knew that he was fourth. Next corner he was third. Then he was second. He was only a second and a half [behind me], then I started pushing 100 percent.” Despite his efforts, Palou was unable to fend off Rasmussen’s advances.
Unexpected Outcomes
Surprisingly, Rasmussen was the only driver to make significant gains during this phase of the race. O’Ward, who had been in fourth, ultimately finished fifth, while Alexander Rossi gained one position to end up in fourth. The biggest setback was for Josef Newgarden, who dropped from third to seventh. “It actually only worked for some,” Palou noted regarding the pit stop strategy. “It wasn’t that black and white. I think it was 50/50. It’s really tough when you’re leading; as Scott said, everybody stayed out, and suddenly you pit from first and go to eighth.”
Palou concluded that despite the outcome, he would make the same decision again. He had begun to feel confident in his car’s performance, particularly out of turns two and four, but acknowledged that as the race progressed, it became more challenging as other drivers found their rhythm.
For more insights and highlights from the IndyCar Series at the Milwaukee Mile, be sure to check out the extended highlights video.