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Graham Rahal's era is here

Monday, 05 June 2017


By Robin Miller / Images by IMS Photo, Abbott/LAT

It was the kind of butt-kicking that's reserved for IndyCar's elite: a Scott Dixon or Will Power type of weekend. Qualify up front, stay quick regardless of what kind of tires you're on, save fuel but maintain your advantage and destroy the competition.
Graham Rahal had never experienced that kind of an IndyCar race, let alone two on the same weekend. But his masterful sweep of the Detroit doubleheader even had his old man making favorable comparisons.
"The most impressive thing for me was Graham's ability to make mileage and go fast, that's the kind of stuff Dixon does and it's what makes a difference," said the three-time IndyCar champion.
"And he also kept his tires under him, which as you saw was key."

Young Rahal, who had never led more than 23 laps in any of his previous wins, took a little heat prior to qualifying when he said he thought if he started up front he could dominate.
So he won the pole on Saturday, led 55 of 70 laps and took the checkered flag six seconds ahead of Dixon. Sunday was a little tougher as he started third but managed to lead 41 of 70 laps and hold off Josef Newgarden by one second in a two-lap sprint to the finish.
Pretty much called his shot.
"You guys have seen this time and time again with Will and with Dixie, when they're at their best and the car's at its best and it's hard to beat them," Rahal said after scoring the fifth and sixth victories of his career and vaulting from 16th into sixth in the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings.
"This weekend I felt like I was at my best and the car was as its best so we just had a strong performance."
It was only a few years ago that it was hard for most to envision the second-generation driver ever being a bully. After becoming the youngest-ever winner at age 19 in 2008, Graham went on a six-year drought. No wins, one pole, six podiums and 111 laps led in 105 races for four different teams.
But The Rahal Renaissance began in 2015 with a thrilling win at Fontana, followed by another W at Mid-Ohio and a chance at the championship until he was wrecked at Pocono. Last year he captured another insane oval finish at Texas plus ran second at Barber and Sonoma and snared a third at Road America to again be Honda's brightest light.
And he's returned to the Fast Six in road racing, able to pull out a lap in the final minute like he did when he was 20.
"There's no real magic to it, just look at the situation," Bob Rahal said. "How long have [Will] Power, [Ryan] Hunter-Reay, Helio [Castroneves] and Dixon had the same engineers? That relationship is so critical and Graham finally has the same group three years in a row and it shows.
"He's driving with tremendous confidence and I'd put our team up against anybody."
Beside great pit stops from Donnie Stewart and company, good, calm strategy from Ricardo Nault and thoroughness from crew chief Derek Davidson, the engineering staff of Tom German, Eddie Jones, Martin Pare and Mike Talbott for Rahal Letterman Lanigan is clicking everywhere.
Rahal charged from 18th to take the lead at Indianapolis and likely would have been a factor at the finish but got a flat tire – the same thing that happened while running fourth at Long Beach.
Running his red tires as long as possible both days to set up his two-stop strategy also forced other teams to bail on their plans or pit early, and with no cautions to aid the three-stoppers, Rahal joined Dixon (Toronto in 2013) as a doubles king.

"Today's win was better than yesterday," the elder Rahal said. "He wasn't on the pole, he had to pass Hunter-Reay and then he ran a lap longer than [Takuma] Sato and had a great out lap to put him in front. Plus he had Josef [Newgarden] and Power on his butt so he had to work for it."
The proud pop also likes the numbers game of IndyCar.
"I told Graham the other day that a driver hits his sweet spot in his career between the ages of 27 and 40. Look at Dario, Dixon and Will and Graham is only 28 – he's just entering that era."

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At Long Beach:

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