Rahal Scores In First Race, Becomes Youngest Driver To Win IndyCar Event

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After the decision was made to sit out last week’s IndyCar Series opener on the Homestead-Miami oval, Graham Rahal believed the best place to start his IndyCar career would come on a street course.
That proved to be the right decision as the 19-year-old son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal won Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in his very first IndyCar start.
He became the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing history. Rahal is 19 years, 93 days old and that broke Marco Andretti’s record of 19 years, 167 days of age when he won at Infineon Raceway in 2006.
“Certainly, the record wasn’t in the back of my mind, but it’s great to have it and I’m just happy to be sitting here,” Rahal said. “I’m surprised, trust me.”

ON TRACK: IRL IndyCar Series rookie Graham Rahal navigates the St. Petersburg Street Circuit en route to his victory in Sunday's Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. (Joe Secka/JMS Pro Photo)

The teenager from New Albany, Ohio, is the fourth driver to win in his first IndyCar Series start. Scott Dixon was the most recent when he won at Homestead in 2003.
The race ended under a two-hour time limit because of delays caused by rain throughout the contest. The race ended after 83 of 100 laps.
A big crash involving Vitor Meira and Franck Perera got worse when Townsend Bell slammed into Meira’s parked car on lap 77.
Luckily, none of the three drivers were injured, but Meira was upset with Perera for causing the crash.  Meira was very animated speaking Portuguese while Perera, a Frenchman, did not understand a word he was saying.
Track crews cleaned up the mess for a restart on lap 80 with three laps remaining.
Rahal kept the lead but hit the brakes hard entering the first turn, which allowed Castroneves to close to the rear of Rahal’s car. But Rahal pulled away to claim the victory.
“On the restart, I went into turn one and I certainly didn’t brake any later, but just because the tires were probably a little cold, the pressures were a little low, it locked that right front, but everything seemed to work pretty well and we managed to pull away,” Rahal said.
Rahal defeated Castroneves by 3.5192 seconds.
Rival team owner Bobby Rahal fought off tears after watching his son win.
“He drove beautifully, and when he had to go fast, he did,” Bobby Rahal said. “It’s a tremendous moment. I’m so proud of him. He got hit by Will Power and spun at the start, but he came back and had a great strategy. The car was there and he was there. It’s quite a moment.”
Tony Kanaan was third, followed by Ernesto Viso and Enrique Bernoldi.
“Good job for him,” Castroneves said of Rahal. “It’s a great day for motor racing. We have great names here in the paddock. It proves that guys can work hard and execute. We tried all we could. Oh man, it was so close. I’ll take it; hopefully for the championship, this will be good.
“I was going for it. We tried everything for the car. But you know what? Second is good enough.”
The first 10 laps of the race were run under the yellow flag as the heavy rain subsided. The green flag waved on the 11th lap and Ryan Hunter-Reay immediately spun coming out of the last turn.
More trouble hit the Andretti Green Racing team when Marco Andretti was run off the course by Mario Moraes, bringing out a full-course caution on the 15th lap with Kanaan ahead of Wilson.
Bell hit the tire barrier on the 23rd lap, sending debris off the banners that cover the barrier.
Rahal started ninth and moved up to fifth in the first 25 laps. Two laps later, Rahal was fourth as the sun came back out to dry the track. But Rahal spun out on the main straightaway after he was tagged by Power.
Kanaan caught up with Briscoe and Perera on the 42nd lap. Andretti, Scott Dixon and Hunter-Reay all pitted on lap 43, switching to the faster racing “slicks” for dry conditions. Andretti broke the half-shaft attempting to leave the pits, ending his race.
Briscoe, one of the leading contenders for the victory, took himself out when he hit the wall in turn nine.
This is Briscoe’s second attempt at IndyCar after he was fired by Target Chip Ganassi Racing for crashing too many cars in 2005.
The full-course caution allowed the drivers to make a final pit stop on lap 61. That put Hunter-Reay ahead of Rahal, Ernesto Viso, Castroneves, Wheldon and Dixon.
Hunter-Reay did not pit because team owner Bobby Rahal believed there would be another yellow flag, which boosted him in track position.
Young Rahal tucked behind Hunter-Reay and pulled off the pass on the restart to take the lead on lap 65.
Castroneves passed Hunter-Reay for second on lap 69, but he never seriously challenged Rahal the remaining distance.
Rahal won the race at an average speed of 74.251 miles per hour, slowed by six cautions for 29 laps and a pace that was tempered by rain. There were seven lead changes among eight drivers, and Rahal led the final 19 laps, the most of any driver in the race.