By David Morgan, Associate Editor
LEBANON, Tenn. – There’s nothing like that first win feeling.
A week after scoring his first career NTT IndyCar Series victory a week ago at Milwaukee, Christian Rasmussen is still riding the high as he and his No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing team roll into Nashville for Sunday’s running of the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix.
“It feels good. It’s been a fun week,” said Rasmussen. “It’s been good feeling everyone’s support. It’s been a very normal week also in a lot of ways just with a couple more interviews and a new family member at home. But no, it’s been good.
“Full focus on this weekend though, we’re trying to finish the season off strong. We’re in that run for top 10 in the championship and we’ll be doing everything we can to try and make that happen.”
Team owner Ed Carpenter echoed those comments about riding the high from Milwaukee, but cautioned that the team still has work ahead to get where they want to be as an organization.
“Anytime you win, you obviously feel great. This is such a hard sport to win in, but we still have a long way to go,” said Carpenter. “We’ve got a lot of great things going on, but we expect to be doing that week in and week out and we still need more consistency. It’s a great step to knock that one off this season.”
Rasmussen, the 2023 Indy NXT champion has taken a step forward in 2025 in his second year with ECR, scoring his first podium at Gateway earlier this season and then following it up with a dramatic run to the victory last weekend in Milwaukee.
With an influx of capital into ECR over the off-season and bringing Alexander Rossi on board to serve as Rasmussen’s teammate, everything is pointing in the right direction for Rasmussen, with Rossi’s influence a big key to that happening.
“It’s awesome. Getting to know Alex and work closely together with him all year has been really good. I think Packy, my spotter, said it very well in an interview yesterday that he brought some maturity to the team that I think we really needed,” said Rasmussen.
“So, being close and being able to work closely with him has been really good. And yeah, our relationship on and off the track is really good. We get along super well. We kind of have a very similar sense of humor, which I think really helps the weekends. So yeah, it’s been good. I really enjoy working with him.”
Carpenter said as much, noting the influence of Rossi not only on his younger teammate, but on the team as a whole.
“It’s been great to have Alex,” said Carpenter. “He brings a ton of experience. He’s been with a couple of other top teams and has had more success than we have had in recent years. He brings a lot of knowledge, a very technical driver.
“I think he’s been helpful for Christian and I think their skillsets compliment each other really well, whether it’s in the car or out of the car.
“Alex is a pro and that’s not to say we haven’t had other pros here in the past before, but you know, I think his work ethic and approach has rubbed off on Christian and kind of showed Christian a different way to prepare and a different level.
“With everything that we’re doing at ECR right now, on the track, off the track, we’re trying to raise the level for ourselves and the whole sport, so we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
The relationship between Rasmussen and Rossi was on full display in Victory Lane last Sunday when Rossi ran to celebrate with Rasmussen and was one of the first to greet him upon climbing from the car, enthusiastically embracing him in celebration afterwards.
“Those are some of my favorite pictures and clips from that day is just seeing them celebrate together. You know, it’s not always the case that a driver is that happy for his teammate when they go win a race and the other doesn’t,” Carpenter said of that moment between his drivers.
Needless to say, ECR appears to be on the upswing after Rasmussen’s win as they look to close out the season on another high note and carry the momentum through the offseason and into 2026.
“We’re in a good spot,” Rasmussen concluded about the road ahead for ECR. “We’re in a good spot as a team. And I think, again, like I’ve said before, ECR is a team to watch…I’m very excited for this team’s future.”
Rasmussen will have his work cut out for him in Nashville though, starting from 25th place on the grid following a pre-race grid penalty for going over the engine allotment for the season, while Rossi will start from 19th.
The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix will kick off at 2:00 pm ET Sunday on FOX.
Be the first to comment