Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Honda Indy Toronto – Streets around Exhibition Place
Verizon IndyCar Series
QUALIFYING NOTES/QUOTES – Saturday, July 16, 2016
RAHAL QUALIFIED 16TH FOR THE HONDA INDY TORONTO
POLE: Scott Dixon 59.9073 / 107.326 mph (Round 3, Group 2)
16th: Graham Rahal 1:00.7088 / 105.909 mph (Round 1, Group 2)
GRAHAM RAHAL, No. 15 Rousseau Metal Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I went for it on the last lap and I hit the fence. The car has been ill-handling. We’ve been in the top eight so I think it’s given us a false sense of security. I told the guys before the session that it was going to take a magic lap to advance and I knew it because our basic balance all weekend has been killing the rear tires. We can’t put power down at all. We lose 2.5 tenths (of a second) just in the hairpin because we can’t put power down and in Turn 6 we have a ton of understeer and, on the last lap in qualifying, I went for it, the car went straight and just tagged the wall. That lap wasn’t going to be better no matter what which is frustrating because these guys deserve better. We are struggling to make improvements this weekend so far. We’re going to throw the kitchen sink at it to hopefully improve for the race and get the Rousseau Metal Honda to the front.”
RLL AT TORONTO: The Honda Indy Toronto will mark the 17th year of Indy car racing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) here. The team also competed in the Atlantic Series races here in 2003 and 2004. The team earned a total of four second place finishes (Rahal 1992, 1994, 1995; Michel Jourdain Jr. 2003) and best start was pole in 1992 by Bobby Rahal. Prior to the 2016 event, the team prepared a total of 29 Indy car entries for drivers Bobby Rahal (1992-98), Mike Groff (1994), Raul Boesel (1995), Bryan Herta (1996-99), Max Papis (1999-2001), Jimmy Vasser (2002), Michel Jourdain Jr. (2002-03), Takuma Sato (2012), Graham Rahal (2013 x 2; 2014 x2; 2015), James Jakes (2013 x 2) and Luca Filippi (2014 x2). The team also prepared three Toyota Atlantic entries (Danica Patrick 2003-2004; Chris Festa 2004). The team has earned FIVE podiums (3rd – Rahal 1996), 9 top-five’s and 17 top-10 finishes at the track. The No. 15 Rousseau Metal entry for Graham Rahal will bring the Indy car total to 30 entries in 2016.
NEXT UP: Morning warmup will take place tomorrow from 10:30-11:00 a.m. ET and the Honda Indy Toronto will take the Green Flag at 3:15 p.m. The 85-lap race will be broadcast live on NBCSN beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. Streaming video and Timing and Scoring information is available for all practice sessions from www.indycar.com and includes commentary by the INDYCAR Radio Network. Timing and Scoring information for qualifying is also available live with commentary.
PHOTO AND VIDEO AVAILABLE: Media members who register on the IndyCar Series media site have access to photography as well as video. Register for access to photos at: http://www.indycarmfedia.com/pages/ApplyforAccess