Indy NXT Nashville: Rasmussen holds off McElrea to win drama-filled race

After qualifying was rained out on the 2.1-mile non permanent road course, the sector was set by championship order, but it surely was dry and sunny in time for Sunday morning’s race.

After an initially aborted begin, Rasmussen led Nolan Siegel (who crashed closely on the only apply session) to the inexperienced flag on the Korean Warfare Veterans Bridge, forward of Jacob Abel, Hunter McElrea, Louis Foster, Danial Frost, Reece Gold and James Roe (who additionally shunted in apply).

McElrea handed Abel for third on the first nook, with Gold additionally getting the higher of Frost for sixth on the opening tour. McElrea then handed Siegel, the latter tumbling right down to fifth, shedding additional spots to Abel and Foster.

As all that occurred behind him, Rasmussen scampered away to a 3.5s lead over McElrea.

Frost repassed Gold for sixth on lap six, whereas Ernie Francis Jr demoted Roe on the identical tour for eighth.

Though he fell properly behind chief Rasmussen, McElrea pulled away from the battling Abel and Foster. Francis made additional progress when he handed a struggling Gold for seventh on lap 10, and Gold subsequently misplaced additional spots to Roe, Kyffin Simpson, Matty Brabham and Rasmus Lindh.

Foster handed Abel with a wild transfer as they briefly collided twice on the high-speed strategy to Flip 4. Foster instantly set the quickest lap of the race, as he set about closing the three.4s hole to McElrea.

At half distance, Rasmussen prolonged his result in 4.5s however a full-course warning negated all his onerous work when Christian Bogle received into the Flip 11 wall. Moments earlier, Brabham tumbled down the order after a transfer on Simpson at Flip 4 turned bitter, however he managed to maintain it out of the tirewall however rejoined in 16^th.

Rasmussen retained his lead on the restart and instantly gapped McElrea by a second. Francis continued his progress by passing Frost for sixth at Flip 4, opening the door for Roe to move him too, and chased down Siegel.

McElrea and Foster stored Rasmussen of their sights because the race went yellow once more with 11 laps remaining as Francis’s sensible cost ended when he clipped the apex wall at Flip 4, sending him onerous into the skin barrier.

The race restarted with eight laps to go, with McElrea exerting fast strain on Rasmussen. Abel handed Foster for third after punting him up the rear on nook entry at Flip 11. Behind them, Frost and Lindh received collectively at Flip 4, with Frost getting fired into the barrier inflicting one other warning.

That arrange a four-lap dash to the end, with Foster clipping Abel and taking to the Flip 1 run-off, dropping to eleventh. Abel was handed a blocking penalty, however the one-position he was ordered to surrender meant that it was Siegel who benefited.

Abel gave up the spot at Flip 9 however neatly grabbed the place again on the following nook to make sure he completed on the rostrum.

Rasmussen held off McElrea’s problem to win his third race of the season, with title rival Siegel solely putting fifth after Roe handed him on the ultimate lap. Foster charged again to complete sixth, passing Lindh late on. Jamie Chadwick was eighth, forward of Gold and Josh Pierson.

After the race, Foster pulled alongside to make an offended hand gesture to Abel, who responded by cheekily waving again.