Ed Carpenter Racing announced on Wednesday that Christian Rasmussen will contest the final three races of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule in Ed Carpenter’s No.20 Guy Care Chevrolet.
Rasmussen’s last race was meant to be Portland last weekend but team owner Ed Carpenter says that his own results have not been up to standard on ovals this year and this is why he has taken the difficult decision to take a step back.
In confirming the news, Carpenter was adamant that he is not retiring.
First off, this was a very difficult decision for me to make. I want to make it clear that this is not a retirement announcement. “However, the reality is, I have not performed to the level that I expect of myself for the team. Christian tested at Gateway prior to the race and he showed me that he deserves this expanded opportunity. He also had such a strong performance during the Month of May and has earned the chance to continue his development. I am excited to watch him finish the season out strong for the No. 20 crew and the entire ECR team.”
Rasmussen holds the distinction of being the highest placed rookie to finish the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 as he came from 23rd place on the grid to finish in 12th.
The Dane has yet to compete on a short oval but is looking forward to the races in Milwaukee this weekend.
“First and foremost, I am incredibly thankful to Ed for providing me this opportunity. “I am excited to drive the No. 20 in the remaining three races and I am fully committed to giving the team my absolute best. While I haven’t raced at Milwaukee or Nashville before, my past performances on ovals have been strong and I’m eager to add these tracks to the list!”