Graham Rahal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Graham Rahal
Rahal at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix.
Nationality	American
Born	(1989-01-04) January 4, 1989 (age 36) New Albany, Ohio, U.S.
IndyCar Series career
278 races run over 17 years
Team(s)	No. 15 (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
Best finish	4th (2015)
First race	2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last race	2024 Music City Grand Prix (Nashville Superspeedway)
First win	2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last win	2017 Detroit Grand Prix, Race 2 (Belle Isle)
Wins Podiums Poles 6 29 5
Champ Car career
15 races run over 1 year
Years active	2007
Team(s)	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Best finish	5th (2007)
First race	2007 Vegas Grand Prix (Las Vegas)
Last race	2007 Gran Premio Tecate (Mexico City)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 4 0
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)
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 also owns a small business. He currently races in the IndyCar Series for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. This team is partly owned by his father, Bobby Rahal. Bobby Rahal won the famous 1986 Indianapolis 500 race.

Racing Career Highlights

Early Days in Racing

Graham Rahal started racing early. In 2005, he won a big race called the Formula Atlantic class at the SCCA Runoffs. He also finished fourth in the Star Mazda Series. After that, Rahal raced for A1 Team Lebanon in a few international races.

In 2006, he joined the Champ Car Atlantic Series full-time. He was super fast, winning five races! He finished second overall in the season standings. He also raced in an Indy Pro Series event and came in second.

First Big Steps in Champ Car

In 2007, Rahal joined Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing in the Champ Car World Series. This was a huge step for him. He made his debut at the Vegas Grand Prix.

Just a week later, at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, he finished his first Champ Car race. He came in 8th place. Then, in only his third Champ Car race in Houston, he finished 2nd. This made him the youngest driver ever to get on the podium in Champ Car history! He ended his first season in 5th place overall. He had four podium finishes, which means he finished in the top three four times.

Rahal posing with the Canary Foundation show car for the 2007 San Jose Grand Prix

IndyCar Series Debut and First Win

In 2008, the Champ Car World Series joined with the IndyCar Series. This meant Rahal would now race in IndyCar, including the legendary Indianapolis 500.

He made his IndyCar debut at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Even with an early spin, Rahal won the race! He became the youngest person at the time to win a major American open-wheel race. He was just 19 years old. He was also the fourth driver ever to win in their very first IndyCar Series race.

Pole Positions and Team Changes

In 2009, Rahal started the season strong by winning the pole position at St. Petersburg. This meant he started the race from the very front. He became the youngest pole-sitter in IndyCar history. His father, Bobby Rahal, had also won poles, making it a special family achievement. Graham finished the season 7th overall with two podium finishes.

In 2010, Rahal raced for several different teams. He drove for Sarah Fisher Racing and even for his father's team, Rahal Letterman Racing, in the Indianapolis 500. He finished 12th in the Indy 500 that year.

Joining Chip Ganassi Racing

From 2011 to 2012, Graham Rahal raced for Chip Ganassi Racing. This is one of the top teams in racing. In 2011, he co-drove a car to victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona race. This win was special because his father, Bobby, had also won that race 30 years earlier.

Return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Starting in 2013, Graham Rahal returned to race for his father's team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. This was a new chapter for him.

In 2015, he had a fantastic year. He finished second twice and third once in the first half of the season. He then broke a long winless streak by winning the MAVTV 500 in California. Later that year, he won again at the Honda Indy 200 in Mid-Ohio. This win was very meaningful because he grew up in Ohio. His strong performance put him in the championship fight, and he finished 4th overall in the standings.

Graham Rahal driving at the 2019 Indianapolis 500.

Rahal continued his winning ways in 2016, taking victory at the Firestone 600 in Texas. It was an incredibly close finish, winning by only 0.008 seconds! In 2017, he had another great year, winning both races at the Detroit Grand Prix.

From 2018 to 2021, Rahal consistently finished in the top 10 in the IndyCar Series championship. He earned several podium finishes during these years, including a second place at the 2020 Indianapolis Grand Prix and two third-place finishes at the 2020 Indianapolis 500 and an Iowa race.

In 2023, Rahal faced a challenge at the Indianapolis 500. He initially didn't qualify for the race. However, after another driver was injured, Rahal was chosen to replace him. He finished 22nd in the race. After the Indy 500, his performance improved. He earned pole positions (starting from the front) at the IMS Road Course and Portland, and got a podium finish on a road course.

Rahal during the 2023 Indianapolis 500

Beyond the Race Track

Business Ventures

Graham Rahal is not just a race car driver; he's also a business owner. In 2017, he opened Graham Rahal Performance (GRP). This business started as a shop for car tuning and parts. It has now grown to include selling special, high-end cars. GRP is located in Zionsville, Indiana.

He is also a partner in the Bobby Rahal Automotive Group. This is a group of car dealerships in Pennsylvania, named after his father.

Personal Life

Graham Rahal was born in Columbus, Ohio. He went to school in New Albany, Ohio, and graduated in 2007. He loves Ohio State University sports, NHL hockey, and golf. He is also a big car fan and collects Ducati motorcycles.

Graham is married to Courtney Force. She used to be a professional drag racer. Her father, John Force, is a famous drag racing champion. In 2020, Graham and Courtney welcomed their first child, a daughter named Harlan Ann Rahal.

Graham also cares about helping others. In 2009, he started the Graham Rahal Foundation. This foundation supports charities like Alex's Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer and the SeriousFun Children's Network. In 2019, he and his wife Courtney joined forces to rename it the Graham & Courtney Rahal Foundation (GCRF). GCRF now supports programs like Turns for Troops, which helps soldiers, and One Cure at Colorado State University.

Motorsports Career Summary

Career Overview

† Team result

Indianapolis 500 Results

Images for kids

• 

  Graham Rahal with his wife, Courtney Force.

See also

In Spanish: Graham Rahal para niños