Graham Rahal

Rahal while competing in 2014
Rahal in 2014

Graham Robert Rahal (born January 4, 1989) is an American race car driver. He currently drives in the IndyCar Series with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Acura Team Penske.

Racing career

 
Rahal with his Champ Car in 2007.

Rahal began his major racing career in 2006, finishing second in the Champ Car Atlantic championship while winning five races.[1] Rahal ran in the Champ Car Series in 2007, competing for Newman/Haas Racing.[2]

He moved up to the IndyCar Series for 2008 and won his first race, in St. Petersburg, Florida.[3] With the win, Rahal became the youngest winner in open-wheel racing.[4] He ran sixteen of the seventeen remaining races of the year.[5] In his debut Indianapolis 500, Rahal hit the wall while trying to make a pass early in the race and finished in last place.[6] A year later in St. Petersburg, Rahal became the youngest driver in open wheel history to win a pole.[7] At the end of his first full IndyCar season in 2009, he finished seventh in points.[8] For 2010, Rahal signed on for two races with Sarah Fisher Racing in the beginning of the season.[9] He also ran the Indianapolis 500 with his father's team,[10] and ran a few races with his old team, Newman/Haas Racing.[11]

In late 2010, Rahal and TBC Corporation announced a two year sponsorship deal that allowed Rahal to race for different teams.[12]

For 2013, Rahal joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, a team partially owned by his father Bobby Rahal.[13][14] In 2015, Rahal won at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.[15] In 2017, Rahal won at Belle Isle Raceway in Detroit, holding off Scott Dixon.[16]

Personal life

Rahal is married to NHRA driver Courtney Force.[17] He is the son of former Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.[4]

Graham Rahal Media

References

  1. "CHAMPCAR/CART: Newman/Haas/Lanigan signs Graham Rahal" (in en). Motorsport.com. https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/champcar-cart-newman-haas-lanigan-signs-graham-rahal/. Retrieved 2018-03-09. [dead link]
  2. "Driver Graham Rahal 2007 Champ Car World Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  3. "Graham Rahal comfortable on the road" (in en-US). Orange County Register. 2008-04-18. https://www.ocregister.com/2008/04/18/graham-rahal-comfortable-on-the-road/. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Rahal recovers to become youngest IRL winner" (in en). 13 WTHR Indianapolis. 2008-04-06. https://www.wthr.com/article/rahal-recovers-to-become-youngest-irl-winner. Retrieved 2018-03-09. [dead link]
  5. "Driver Graham Rahal 2008 IndyCar Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  6. Caldwell, Dave (2009-05-22). "Graham Rahal Prepares for His Second Indy 500" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/sports/autoracing/23indy.html. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  7. "Rahal becomes youngest IndyCar pole winner". ESPN.com. 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  8. "Driver Graham Rahal 2009 IndyCar Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  9. "Graham Rahal to get two-race ride with Sarah Fisher Racing". Autoweek. http://autoweek.com/article/indycar/graham-rahal-get-two-race-ride-sarah-fisher-racing. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  10. "Graham Rahal will drive for his father at RLL Racing" (in en). USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/indycar/2012/11/13/graham-rahal-will-race-for-dad-in-indycar-2013/1702723/. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  11. "Graham Rahal returns to NHR" (in en). Motorsport.com. https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/graham-rahal-returns-to-nhr/. Retrieved 2018-03-09. [dead link]
  12. "Graham Rahal Announces Two-Year IndyCar Sponsorship Deal" (in en-US). www.theepochtimes.com. 2010-10-03. https://www.theepochtimes.com/graham-rahal-announces-two-year-indycar-sponsorship-deal-tbc-corporation-ganassi_1507834.html. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  13. Martin, Bruce. "Engineering effort pays off for IndyCar's Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing". Autoweek. http://autoweek.com/article/indycar/engineering-effort-pays-indycars-rahal-letterman-lanigan-racing. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  14. "Graham Rahal will drive for his father at RLL Racing". USATODAY. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  15. "James: David Letterman hopes for Rahal magic" (in en-US). USA TODAY Sports. 2016-05-26. http://sports.usatoday.com/2016/05/26/james-graham-rahal-hopes-30-remains-magical-number/. Retrieved 2018-03-09. 
  16. "Graham Rahal wins IndyCar's first Detroit Grand Prix race". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  17. "How They Met: Graham Rahal and Courtney Force". IndyCar.com. https://www.indycar.com/News/2016/03/03-21-How-Graham-Courtney-met. Retrieved 2018-03-09.