Graham Rahal

Graham Rahal

Rahal at Sonoma Raceway in 2014
Nationality United States American
Born (1989-01-04) January 4, 1989
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Related to Bobby Rahal (father)
Courtney Force (wife)
Ashley Force Hood (sister-in-law)
Brittany Force (sister-in-law) John Force (father-in-law)
Robert Hight (brother-in-law)
IndyCar Series career
Debut season 2008
Current team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Car no. 15
Former teams Newman/Haas Racing (2008-2010)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (2010)
Sarah Fisher Racing (2010)
Chip Ganassi Racing (2011-2012)
Starts 129
Wins 4
Poles 2
Fastest laps 1
Best finish 4th in 2015
Previous series
2007
2006
2005		 Champ Car World Series
Champ Car Atlantic
Star Mazda Championship
Awards
2011 24 Hours of Daytona winner

Graham Robert Rahal (born January 4, 1989) is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IndyCar Series with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, a team part-owned by his father Bobby Rahal, the winner of the 1986 Indianapolis 500.

Racing career

Rahal was born in Columbus, Ohio.

Early racing

In 2005, he won the Formula Atlantic class at the SCCA Runoffs and finished fourth in Star Mazda Series standings. He drove in the last two rounds of the 2005–2006 A1 Grand Prix season for A1 Team Lebanon as he is of Lebanese descent. He moved to a full-time ride in the Champ Car Atlantic Series in 2006, where he won five races and finished second in the season standings. He also drove in the Indy Pro Series event on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in conjunction with the 2006 United States Grand Prix and finished second. SpeedTV reported in August 2006 that Rahal would drive for Newman/Haas Racing in the Champ Car World Series in 2007.[1]

2007

On January 27 Rahal drove in the 24 Hours of Daytona. One of four drivers of the Southard Motorsports Lexus Riley, the car ran into early troubles and finished 62nd out of 70 entries. On March 18, he drove in the 12 Hours of Sebring American Le Mans Series race for his father's Rahal Letterman Racing team. He drove a Porsche 911 GT3-RSR with two other drivers, finishing 6th in the GT2 class and 15th overall.

Rahal posing with a show car when he raced in Champ Car in 2007

On March 27 news reports from the previous summer were finally confirmed when he was announced as the second driver for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing in the Champ Car World Series[2] and drove the No. 2 Panoz DP01 sponsored by MEDI|ZONE alongside his teammate, three-time series champion Sébastien Bourdais. On April 8 in his debut in the Champ Car World Series at the Vegas Grand Prix, Rahal hit the wall on the front stretch on the first lap, and retired from the race. On April 15 at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach he finished his first Champ Car race, ending up 8th. On April 22, in just his 3rd Champ Car race, he became the youngest ever podium finisher in Champ Car history after finishing 2nd in Houston. Rahal completed his rookie season in 5th place in series points with four podium finishes but without a race win.

2008

With the creation of a single American open wheel racing series for 2008, Rahal and the Newman/Haas/Lanigan team became part of the IndyCar Series, including Rahal's first Indianapolis 500.

He missed the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300 due to a crash in testing after which his team could not get his car repaired in time for the race. He made his series debut at the second race of the season, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and despite an early spin in the race, Rahal won the race by 3.5192 seconds from two-time defending winner of the race, Hélio Castroneves. He is currently the youngest[3] person to win a major American open wheel race – aged 19 years, 93 days – and the fourth to win in his first appearance in the IndyCar Series. The best finish Rahal would manage the rest of the year was a pair of 8th places at Watkins Glen and Sonoma and he finished 17th in points, 4th among series rookies.

2009

Rahal returned to Newman/Haas/Lanigan for the 2009 IndyCar Series season, taking over the No. 02 car with McDonald's as his sponsor. He began the season by taking pole position at St. Petersburg, his first in his IndyCar career, thus becoming the youngest ever polesitter aged 20 years, 90 days. This was the first time a Rahal had won an IndyCar pole since his father started first at Toronto in 1992, which was Bobby's third in a row that season.[4] He finished seventh after damaging the car in a first lap clash. His season was also undermined by bad relations with his team-mate Robert Doornbos – when Doornbos left midseason, Rahal commented "We could certainly have a second driver who is more of a team player."[5] He finished the season 7th in points with two podium finishes.

Rahal was linked with the US F1 Team, the American-based Formula One team, that was set to debut in the 2010 World Championship. The team's sporting director, Peter Windsor, mentioned Rahal as a potential candidate for a seat with the Charlotte-based outfit.[6] However, Windsor later decided against hiring either Rahal or Marco Andretti due to fears that they would not be able to get their FIA Super Licences in time for the 2010 season. Eventually, the team failed to compete in the 2010 Formula One season.

2010

Rahal did not return to Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing for the 2010 IndyCar Series season, due to McDonald's discontinuing their sponsorship to focus on the 2010 Winter Olympics.

On March 10, 2010, Sarah Fisher Racing announced Rahal would pilot Fisher's No. 67 Dollar General car in the first two North American events of 2010, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Fisher was originally planning on driving the races herself, in addition to seven oval race, before deciding that putting Rahal in the car could be a benefit to everyone, including Dollar General, who are based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.[7] On April 6, 2010, Sarah Fisher Racing announced the addition of the Grand Prix of Long Beach to Rahal's schedule. Rahal's placing in those three races were 9th, 17th, and 22nd (retired) respectively.

After the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Rahal was signed to drive for his father's team, Rahal Letterman Racing, in the 2010 Indianapolis 500. Rahal qualified in the seventh position for the race, and finished 12th. On June 10, 2010, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced the signing of Rahal for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway, filling in for the injured Mike Conway in the No. 24 entry on a one-off basis. Rahal returned to Newman/Haas Racing for 6 of the remaining 8 races of the 2010 season, starting with Toronto and returned to Sarah Fisher Racing for the Kentucky Speedway race. Rahal's 2010 totals included 12 starts for four different teams and a 20th-place finish in points.

On October 10, 2010, Rahal finished runner-up at the RoboPong 200 all-star kart event at the New Castle Motorsports Park with teammate Conor Daly.[8]

2011-2012

Rahal signed to drive the No. 38 car for Chip Ganassi Racing with Service Central sponsorship beginning in 2011 as the team expanded from two to four cars and continued with the team into 2012.[9]

Rahal, co-drove the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates car to victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona along with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, and Joey Hand. It came 30 years after his father, Bobby won the race, partnering with Brian Redman and Bob Garretson.

2013-2016

From 2013 on wards, Graham Rahal returned to his father's team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. While a second-place finish at the 2013 Long Beach Grand Prix showed promise early in the season, 2013 would be a building year for the new partnership.

2015 brought great results for Rahal with three podiums in the first half of the season; 2nd at Barber Motorsports Park, 2nd at the 2015 Grand Prix of Indianapolis, and a 3rd at the Sunday race in Detroit.

During the 2015 season Rahal broke a 6+ year winless streak by winning the 2015 MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Rahal again won later in the season at the 2015 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The win was especially poignant for Rahal, since he grew up in Ohio and also put Rahal in the championship hunt for the first time in his career. Rahal ended finishing 4th in the standings after a disappointing performance in the last two races.

2016 brought another win to Rahal's almost decade long IndyCar career after winning the 2016 Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway. The margin of victory was only .008 of a second, the fifth-closest finish in IndyCar/CART history.[10]

Personal life

Graham Rahal takes a selfie with Jenna Ezarik (left) and Justine Ezarik (middle) at the 2015 Indianapolis 500 parade

Rahal attended New Albany school systems in Ohio and graduated in June 2007 with plans to attend Denison University. Rahal started the Graham Rahal Foundation in 2009 to support Alex's Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer and The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps (known as SeriousFun Children's Network as of April 2012).[11]

He is married to NHRA drag racer Courtney Force, daughter of 16-time NHRA drag racing champion and legend John Force.[12]

Motorsports career results

Career summary

Season Series Team Name Races Poles Wins Points Position
2004 Formula BMW USA Vitesse Farm Racing 14 0 0 63 7th
2005 Star Mazda Series Andersen Racing 12 0 1 370 4th
2005–06 A1 Grand Prix A1 Team Lebanon 6 0 0 6 23rd
2006 Champ Car Atlantic Conquest Racing 12 0 5 242 2nd
Indy Pro Series Kenn Hardley Racing 1 1 0 43 28th
American Le Mans Series Alex Job Racing 1 0 0 12 26th
Rolex 24 at Daytona Tafel Racing 1 1 0 N/A 16th
2007 Champ Car World Series Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 14 0 0 243 5th
Rolex 24 at Daytona Southard Motorsports 1 0 0 N/A 28th
American Le Mans Series Rahal Letterman Racing 2 0 0 31 22nd
2008 IndyCar Series Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 19 0 1 288 17th
Rolex 24 at Daytona Michael Shank Racing 1 0 0 N/A 6th
2009 IndyCar Series Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 17 2 0 385 8th
2010 IndyCar Series Sarah Fisher Racing 12 0 0 235 20th
Rahal Letterman Racing
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Newman/Haas Racing
2011 IndyCar Series Chip Ganassi Racing 18 0 0 320 9th
Rolex 24 at Daytona 1 0 1 N/A 1st
2012 IndyCar Series Chip Ganassi Racing 15 0 0 333 10th
Rolex 24 at Daytona 1 0 0 N/A 6th
International V8 Supercars Championship Kelly Racing 2 0 0 N/A NC
2013 IndyCar Series Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 19 0 0 319 18th
2014 IndyCar Series Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 18 0 0 345 19th
2015 IndyCar Series Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 16 0 2 490 4th
2016 IndyCar Series Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 16 0 1 484 5th

* Season still in progress.

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status
2006 Mid-Ohio Swift 014.a Toyota Formula Atlantic 1 1 Running

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 DC Points
2005–06 Lebanon GBR
SPR		 GBR
FEA		 GER
SPR		 GER
FEA		 POR
SPR		 POR
FEA		 AUS
SPR		 AUS
FEA		 MYS
SPR		 MYS
FEA		 UAE
SPR		 UAE
FEA		 RSA
SPR		 RSA
FEA		 IDN
SPR		 IDN
FEA		 MEX
SPR
13		 MEX
FEA
14		 USA
SPR
Ret		 USA
FEA
Ret		 CHN
SPR
18		 CHN
FEA
11		 23rd 0
2006–07 NED
SPR		 NED
FEA		 CZE
SPR
12		 CZE
FEA
12		 CHN
SPR		 CHN
FEA		 MYS
SPR		 MYS
FEA		 IDN
SPR		 IDN
FEA		 NZL
SPR		 NZL
FEA		 AUS
SPR		 AUS
FEA		 RSA
SPR		 RSA
FEA		 MEX
SPR		 MEX
FEA		 CHN
SPR		 CHN
FEA		 GBR
SPR		 GBR
SPR		 23rd 0

American open–wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest race lap)

Champ Car Atlantic

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2006 Mi-Jack Conquest Racing LBH
5		 HOU
15		 MTY
1		 POR
27		 CLE1
1		 CLE2
1		 TOR
15		 EDM
2		 SJO
12		 DEN
1		 MTL
1		 ROA
20		 2nd 242

Champ Car

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
2007 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE LVG
17		 LBH
8		 HOU
2		 POR
9		 CLE
8		 MTT
7		 TOR
11		 EDM
3		 SJO
6		 ROA
3		 ZOL
3		 ASN
9		 SRF
11		 MXC
4		 5th 243

IndyCar Series

(key)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points
2008 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Dallara Honda HMS
Wth		 STP
1		 MOT1 KAN
12		 INDY
33		 MIL
25		 TXS
11		 IOW
10		 RIR
18		 WGL
8		 NSH
12		 MDO
16		 EDM
26		 KTY
25		 SNM
8		 DET
13		 CHI
19		 SRF2
9		 17th 288
Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE LBH1
13
2009 Dallara Honda STP
7		 LBH
12		 KAN
7		 INDY
31		 MIL
4		 TXS
22		 IOW
11		 RIR
3		 WGL
13		 TOR
20		 EDM
7		 KTY
5		 MDO
8		 SNM
21		 CHI
5		 MOT
3		 HMS
11		 7th 385
2010 Sarah Fisher Racing SAO STP
9		 ALA
17		 LBH
22		 KAN KTY
20		 20th 235
Rahal Letterman Racing INDY
12		 TXS
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing IOW
9		 WGL
Newman/Haas Racing TOR
5		 EDM MDO
20		 SNM
9		 CHI
10		 MOT
8		 HMS
10
2011 Chip Ganassi Racing STP
17		 ALA
18		 LBH
13		 SAO
2		 INDY
3		 TXS
9		 TXS
30		 MIL
2		 IOW
15		 TOR
13		 EDM
25		 MDO
24		 NHM
26		 SNM
8		 BAL
10		 MOT
12		 KTY
12		 LVS3
C		 9th 320
2012 Dallara DW12 STP
12		 ALA
4		 LBH
24		 SAO
16		 INDY
13		 DET
19		 TXS
2		 MIL
9		 IOW
9		 TOR
23		 EDM
4		 MDO
11		 SNM
5		 BAL
11		 FON
6		 10th 333
2013 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing STP
13		 ALA
21		 LBH
2		 SAO
22		 INDY
25		 DET
9		 DET
9		 TXS
21		 MIL
16		 IOW
5		 POC
18		 TOR
20		 TOR
13		 MDO
18		 SNM
11		 BAL
17		 HOU
7		 HOU
18		 FON
15		 18th 319
2014 STP
14		 LBH
13		 ALA
17		 IMS
21		 INDY
33		 DET
2		 DET
21		 TXS
12		 HOU
11		 HOU
16		 POC
19		 IOW
7		 TOR
6		 TOR
20		 MDO
5		 MIL
14		 SNM
20		 FON
18		 19th 345
2015 STP
11		 NLA
8		 LBH
11		 ALA
2		 IMS
2		 INDY
5		 DET
23		 DET
3		 TXS
15		 TOR
9		 FON
1		 MIL
3		 IOW
4		 MDO
1		 POC
20		 SNM
18		 4th 490
2016 STP
16		 PHX
5		 LBH
15		 ALA
2		 IMS
4		 INDY
14		 DET
4		 DET
11		 RDA
3		 IOW
16		 TOR
13		 MDO
4		 POC
11		 TXS
1		 WGL
21		 SNM
2		 5th 484

* Season still in progress.

Years Teams Races Poles Wins Top 5s Top 10s Indianapolis 500
Wins		 Championships
8 5 136 2 3 27 53 0 0

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2008 Dallara Honda 13 33 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
2009 Dallara Honda 4 31 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
2010 Dallara Honda 7 12 Rahal Letterman Racing
2011 Dallara Honda 30 3 Chip Ganassi Racing
2012 Dallara Honda 12 13 Chip Ganassi Racing
2013 Dallara Honda 26 25 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
2014 Dallara Honda 20 33 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
2015 Dallara Honda 17 5 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
2016 Dallara Honda 26 14 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Robin, Graham Rahal Set for Newman/Haas Ride in '07, SpeedTV.com, August 13, 2006
  2. ↑ GRAHAM RAHAL TO DRIVE THE NO. 2 MEDI | ZONE RACE CAR FOR NEWMAN/HAAS/ LANIGAN RACING IN THE 2007 CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP, CCWS press release, March 29, 2007
  3. ↑ Cavin, Curt (April 6, 2008). "Rahal's victory sets open-wheel record". The Indianapolis Star. Gannett Company. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/RahalBobby.htm
  5. ↑ "Doornbos out, Philippe in at IRL heads for Mid-Ohio". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. August 5, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  6. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (February 24, 2009). "USF1 open-minded on engine partner". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Nate (March 10, 2010). "Graham Rahal to drive two IndyCar races for Sarah Fisher". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Jay Howard, Bill McLaughlin Jr. win all-star kart race". Autoweek. Crain Communications. October 11, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  9. ↑ Spencer, Lee (December 16, 2010). "Chip Ganassi Racing expanding". Fox Sports. Fox Broadcasting Company. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Rahal wins Firestone 600 in closest finish in Texas Motor Speedway history". Retrieved 2016-08. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  11. ↑ http://www.grahamrahal.com/foundation/
  12. ↑ Associated Press (November 27, 2014). "Courtney Force, Graham Rahal announce engagement". Foxsports.com. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
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