STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG RACE NOTES
RACE RESULTS
10th: ALEXANDER ROSSI No. 20 Java House Chevrolet
15th: CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet
NEXT RACE: The Thermal Club, March 23 (FOX, 3 p.m. ET)
ALEXANDER ROSSI, NO. 20 JAVA HOUSE CHEVROLET
ALEXANDER ROSSI, No. 20 Java House Chevrolet, Finished 10th: “It was always going to be hard starting from 20th. We came in P2 on the strategy that we chose, which was starting on the primary tire. We steadily improved the car all weekend and from a strategy standpoint, we executed really well. That’s about all we could get out of it, but the weekend overall was positive. We’ll take the momentum and try to keep learning.”
RACE RESULTS:
START: 20th
FINISH: 10th
STATUS: Running
LAPS COMPLETED: 100/100
OF NOTE:
- Alexander Rossi rolled off from the 20th starting spot for the first race of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season this afternoon. In yesterday’s qualifications, Rossi began the session on alternate green Firestone Firehawks. After switching to a second set, his first run held as his fastest at 60.487 seconds. His fast lap placed him on the outside of Row 10 for the green flag.
- Rossi chose to start the race on primary black Firehawk tires. When the caution flag flew midway through the opening lap, he was already up seven spots to the 13th position. As everyone who started on alternate green tires came into the pit lane under yellow on Lap 2, Rossi vaulted into the Top 5.
- For his first pit stop on Lap 33, he selected another set of black Firehawks. In less than ten laps, he had cycled back into the Top 5. By Lap 46, he was running 2nd behind another competitor who had started on black tires. His stint on alternate green tires began on Lap 64 and quickly concluded in seven laps.
- Rossi was then able to finish the race on primary black Firestone Firehawks. He moved back into the Top 10 when a car in front of him had to make a final pit stop. Rossi was able to gain the position before the car exited the pit lane. Despite the fact the other competitor was on fresher tires, Rossi was able to maintain the position and earn his first Top 10 finish in his first race with Ed Carpenter Racing.
CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, NO. 21 SPLENDA CHEVROLET
CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet, Finished 15th: “First race of the year done in St. Pete. Not a bad race for us with a P15 finish from starting P24. Our pace in the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet was good. It was a clean and boring race for us but that means it was a safe one. We will keep that going forward and into the next race at Thermal.”
RACE RESULTS:
START: 24th
FINISH: 15th
STATUS: Running
LAPS COMPLETED: 100/100
OF NOTE:
- Christian Rasmussen started his sophomore NTT INDYCAR SERIES season from the outside of Row 12. He began yesterday’s qualifications on a set of Firestone’s alternate green Firehawk tires. A switch to a second set yielded a lap of 60.621 seconds, which gave him the 24th starting position for today’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
- Rasmussen avoided a multi-car incident on the opening lap to gain several positions. The caution created a welcome opportunity for him to switch from his opening set of alternate green Firestone Firehawks to primary black tires. Up five positions from where he started, he made his second pit stop on Lap 35.
- Rasmussen’s next stint was uneventful. Green flag conditions remained for the duration of the event and as cars spread out around the circuit, passing opportunities were limited. However, the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet crew went to work in the pits and helped Rasmussen gain more ground. By the checkered flag, Rasmussen was up nine positions from where he started to record a 15th-place finish.
