Rahal 12th, Foster 17th and DeFrancesco 20th in the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Java House Grand Prix of Monterey

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

RACE NOTES / QUOTES – July 27, 2025

RAHAL 12TH, FOSTER 17TH AND DEFRANCESCO 20TH IN THE JAVA HOUSE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY

GRAHAM RAHAL, No. 15 WWEX Group Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was a fairly straightforward race. The strategy of a couple of those guys helped some of the guys who leapfrogged us cycle to the front like Dixon, Ilott and another. But I felt we held our own all day. Scotty (McLaughlin) and I had a good battle for what felt like 90 of the 95 laps. I would have liked a little better of a finish today but for sure I’m not going to be disappointed in it. We fought hard, we fought with a lot of good guys. It’s not easy to finish 12th anymore and that’s the reality. You’re fighting top tier competition all the time. We gave it what we could today.”

FAST FACTS: He started eighth in a race that saw five full course cautions. Two cars were able to leapfrog him due to strategy and two other drivers (Rassmussen and Armstrong) utilized their strong pace to pass on track. This marked the sixth race for Graham Rahal at the track. Has SIX INDYCAR SERIES wins (2008 – St. Pete street course; 2015 – Fontana Super Speedway, Mid-Ohio road course; 2016 – Texas Super Speedway; 2017 Detroit Race 1, Detroit Race 2) and FIVE poles (2009 – St. Pete street course, Kansas oval; 2017 – Detroit Race 1 street; 2023 – IMS road/August, Portland road)… He moved up one position in the series point standings to 19th with a total of 195.

DEVLIN DEFRANCESCO, No. 30 Mi-Jack Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “Lap 1 was pretty good; we gained some positions on the primary tires and were just surviving after that. We got undercut by a couple of cars in the first stint and on that Lap 10 yellow, we should have taken it and pitted but it was a late call and I was already past the pit entry. That didn’t help and we had an issue in the pits when we went to do fuel only so it was a tough race. We three more to try to close the season strong.”

FAST FACTS: He started 27th and gained four spots by Lap 2. After multiple strategies came into play, he ultimately finished 20th. Today was his third INDYCAR SERIES start at Laguna Seca. His highest starting position here is 20th in 2022, and his highest finish is 15th in the same year. He also ran an Indy Lights doubleheader there in 2021 where his best start was 7th and best finish is 8th. He matched his career best start of fifth place on the road course at IMS in May and has shown pace at other road and street courses, so he hopes to replicate that at Laguna Seca… He is 26th in series point standings with a total of 133.

LOUIS FOSTER, No. 45 Droplight Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was an average race for us. We struggled on pace and lost eight or nine places in the race. We will review the data to try to find out why and come back stronger. I thought we’d have a good race so it’s frustrating. We will focus forward and work to improve.”

FAST FACTS: He started ninth and finished 17th. Prior to today’s race, Foster competed here four times in the INDY NXT Series where he won both NXT races in 2024 from pole. In his first two NXT races here in 2023, he qualified sixth and finished 18th in Race 1 and turned that into a podium performance with a third-place finish from a third place start in Race 2. He is the only rookie to have made it to the Firestone Fast Six – the qualifying format for road and street course races — and has done so three times (Indy, Road America, Mid-Ohio). He is hoping to add more to his season… He moved up one position in the point standings to 22nd with 172. He is four points ahead of fellow rookie Schwartzman in the Rookie of the Year standings.

NEXT UP: The series will take a well-deserved weekend off before reconvening for the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland, August 8-10. FOX will begin live coverage of the race at 12 PM ET Sunday, August 10.