Christian Lundgaard earned the third podium of his IndyCar career on Saturday, running the entire race in the first three positions.
Although fuel strategy did not end up being a major factor in the race, tire strategy was a key factor how the top positions were ordered at the end of 85 laps.
While most drivers chose to run the softer red walled Firestone tires for a majority of the race, Lundgaard and his RLL crew decided to run a second stint on the harder prime tires.
He was the only driver in the top 10 to employ the strategy, and one of only three overall, but the rubber compound worked well with his setup and helped keep him near the front of the pack.
“I think today on our performance we really did the best job that I think we could on the first two stints,” said Lundgaard.
“I think we were a little bold trying to put on another sticker set of prime [black walled tires] for the third stint. But the alternative was a very used alternate tire that we had to put a long way, as well, in the race, and I preferred the primary tires there.
“Happy to be disappointed I would say. Yeah, I think that’s becoming an expression in the RLL engineering truck. Sometimes we’re just happy to be disappointed.
“No, I’m proud of the team. We qualified well at Barber, and I think considering how we handled Long Beach in terms of strategy trying to get too much out of what I think we could have hurt us on the pure result.
“Going into Barber, it was a pure strategy of just get through the race and make sure that we get a good result, and coming here, there was a minimum, which was a podium. We got it, but I wanted it to be a win.”
Lundgaard gained seven positions in the points on account of his podium, and now sits ninth after four championship rounds.
His next task will be to bring the momentum forward to the Indy 500, where his best result to date is an 18th place finish in 2022.
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