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Career Highlights

Graham Rahal


  • Six-time IndyCar Series winner who has won five times since 2015.

  • Was an IndyCar Series championship contender for the first time in his career in the 2015 season until the season-finale where he entered the double-points paying race in Sonoma in second place and the highest-ranked Honda-powered driver. He was in sixth place with nine laps to go but was hit from behind and ultimately finished 18th in the event and a career-best fourth overall in series standings. Rahal earned a series-high six podium finishes including wins at Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, Calif.) and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2015.

  • Became the then-youngest winner in IndyCar Series history when he drove to victory in his series debut in St. Petersburg at the age of 19 years, 93 days old in 2008. He held the record for 11 years until Colton Herta won at Circuit of the Americas in 2019 at the age of 18 years, 359 days old.

  • Became the then-youngest pole winner in series history when he won pole at St. Pete (street) in 2009 at 20 years and 90 days old and again that season in Kansas (oval). He held the record for 10 years until Colton Herta won pole at Road America in 2019 at the age of 19 years, 83 days old.

  • Missed becoming the youngest pole winner in series history at ’08 Milwaukee race by 2/10th of a second over a four lap average to Marco Andretti and started a career best second in what was the first Andretti/Rahal front row since 1992 in Loudon, NH.

  • Became the youngest Champ Car driver in series history to finish on the podium with second place in Houston ’07 at 18 years, three months and 18 days old.

  • Led three Champ Car races in his rookie season (’07) and set the Fastest Race Lap in Australia (record still stands).

  • Runner up to 2006 Champ Car Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud despite winning 42 percent of the races (5), 33 percent of the poles (4) and finishing on the podium 50 percent of the time (6) in a chase that concluded in the season finale.

  • Co-drove the winning entry in the 2011Rolex 24 at Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Co-drivers were Pruett, Rojas and RLL ALMS driver Joey Hand. Competed in the event a total of five times. Also competed in the 12 Hours of Sebring sports car races two times.

  • Competed in four A1 GP races in 2006 (Mexico, USA, China, Czech Republic).

  • Made one start in the Indy Pro Series where he started from pole and led 221 laps en route to a second place finish in a support race to the 2006 USGP.

  • Began racing karts in 2000 at the age of 11 and continued for four years before moving to the Formula BMW series in 2004 on a scholarship.  Won one race and finished on the podium six times in 12 Star Mazda series events in 2005.  Also claimed the 2005 SCCA National Formula Atlantic championship at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and started from pole to win the SCCA National event at Road Atlanta.


Graham Robert Rahal, 35, was born in Columbus, Ohio on 1-4-1989 and resides Zionsville, Indiana, and Yorba Linda, Calif. with his wife, former NHRA driver Courtney Force. The 6’2” driver is one of six children of Bobby Rahal, three-time open wheel champion, Indy 500 winner and Hall of Fame race car driver…He has four sisters (Michaela, Samantha, Isabella and Ava) and one brother (Jarrad)… He appeared on current team co-owner David Letterman’s show “Late Show with David Letterman” after becoming the then-youngest winner of a major race when he won St. Pete in his INDYCAR SERIES debut in 2008 while driving for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing… He created the Graham Rahal Foundation (GRF) in 2009 to continue the work started by former team owner and friend, the late Paul Newman, to help children with medical conditions through initiatives to support Serious Fun Network. The foundation name changed in 2018 to include his wife, Courtney. The GCRF holds special events to raise money for #TurnsForTroops powered by United Rentals which supports Soldier Strong USA as well as Colorado State University's One Cure. His first GRF event was to auction a race-worn helmet on Ebay for $40k that had Newman’s movie posters on it and donated the proceeds to Flying Horse Farms, a camp of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps (now named Serious Fun Network), founded by Newman… To prepare for the physicality of racing he works out almost daily and his routine includes running, cycling and circuit training -- anything cardio related… Is a self-proclaimed “Car Guy” and turned the first car he received when he was 16 – a Subaru WRX sti –into a race car with a Cosworth race engine before he sold it. His personal cars have included an Acura NSX, and a variety of rare super cars although he changes them frequently…He also has a 1964 Mini Cooper that he restored for his high school senior project which he says he will never sell… When not racing he likes to work on cars, hang out with his wife, friends and family, ski, snowmobile, boat, run and anything to do with cars, cars and more cars!... Graduated from New Albany High School with a 3.8 GPA on 6-3-07 despite missing over 80 days of school that year due to racing. ESPN The Magazine covered his graduation… His favorite thing to watch on TV is any Ohio State Buckeye sports event or Blue Jackets hockey… He was voted one of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s “Most Eligible Bachelor’s” in 2011… His favorite actor/actress are Adam Sandler and Megan Fox and favorite movies are “American Sniper” and “Caddy Shack”… His favorite childhood game was “Ping Pong, and I’m still addicted to it.” … Favorite foods are sushi, pizza, or some good Mexican food… And his favorite recipe is his “Big Green Egg Raspberry BBQ Cedar Plank Salmon -- absolutely delicious!”