Felix Rosenqvist powered through from 17th to fifth in a postponed Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway, which saw round 12 of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES ultimately take place a day later than planned.
In a rare development owing to FIFA World Cup Final delays and a subsequent downpour over Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, the race was rescheduled to Monday – something which last occurred in INDYCAR competition ten years ago at Pocono in 2016 (a race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2018 was also moved to be completed on a Monday, but had originally started on the Sunday).
A heat hazard for dangerously high temperatures at the Tennessee venue simultaneously caused the planned 300-lap race distance to be shortened to 225, replicating that of last year.
Once the action finally got underway on Monday afternoon, Rosenqvist produced a strong drive to haul himself up from 17th at the start to fifth by the chequered flag, having briefly run in third following his final pit stop.
Also setting the third fastest lap of the race, the Swedish Indy 500 winner could sum up a strong day at work after making up 12 places from his original grid slot.
“A special kind of weekend, which morphed into a new week before we could settle this one!” says Felix Rosenqvist. “I think it’s the first time in my career that I’m in a race that gets postponed to the next day.
”As for the race itself, it was never straightforward. In the first stint we struggled with starting in the back. Our car was not good when the track was green, but it got better and better. Once we put the reds (alternate tyres) on, we were able to pass people and that was the key to us going long and moving up the order.
”Then in the last stint, we didn’t really have anything for the guys around us, and maybe I cooked my tyres a little bit. Still a very good recovery for us, and I’m really pleased with how we executed this race with the tools at hand.”
Rosenqvist remains seventh in the standings following today’s race.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES now takes a small summer break before resuming with the Grand Prix of Portland on August 7-9.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 12
Music City Grand Prix
Nashville Superspeedway (USA)
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 225 laps
2: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, +0.873s
3: David Malukas (USA), Penske, +1.219s
4: Scott McLaughlin (NZL), Penske, +5.443s
5: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +6.074s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 12/18 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 457 p.
2: David Malukas (USA), Penske, 374 p.
3: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 370 p.
4: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, 353 p.
5: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 336 p.
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7: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 296 p.