Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Bommarito Automotive Group 500 – World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois
Pre-Race Notes
Round 15 of 17 in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series
DATE: August 23-24, 2019
PRACTICE BROADCASTS: Live on INDYCAR Pass, the direct-to-consumer streaming product from NBC Sports Gold, on Friday, August 23 from 2-3 p.m. ET and 9:15-10:15 p.m. ET. Also live on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network (AAPIRN) and www.indycar.com (timing & scoring + live analysis).
QUALIFYING BROADCAST: Live on NBCSN and INDYCAR Pass from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, August 23. Also live on the AAPIRN and www.indycar.com (timing & scoring + live analysis).
RACE BROADCAST: Live Saturday, August 24 beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, INDYCAR Pass and the AAPIRN. Coverage will also air on Sirius 113 and XM 209.
TRACK LAYOUT: 1.25-mile oval
RACE LENGTH: 248 laps / 310 miles
2018 WINNER: Will Power 2018 POLESITTER: Scott Dixon (start set by entrant points)
RAHAL’S BEST OVAL START / FINISH: Pole (Kansas 2009) / 1st (Fontana 2015, 500-miles; Texas 2016)
RAHAL’S BEST WWTR START/FINISH: 7th / 10th – both in 2018; will be his 3rd race here
SATO’S BEST OVAL START / FINISH: Pole (Pocono 2017; Texas 2019) / 1st (Indy 500 2017)
SATO’S BEST WWTR START / FINISH: 6th in 2017 / 9th in 2018; will be his 3rd race here
RLL’S BEST START / FINISH AT WWTR: 2nd in 2003 by Kenny Brack / 5th in 1999 by Max Papis – seven races (1997-2000, 2003,
2017-2018)
NOTES & QUOTES:
RLL AT WORLD WITH TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY
The 2019 Bommarito Automotive Group 500 will mark the third open wheel race at the track since 2003 and will be the eighth event for the team at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR). The 1.25-mile oval hosted CART-sanctioned races from 1997-2000 and IRL races from 2001-2003 before the IndyCar Series returned in 2017. The team competed in all four CART races from 1997-2000 and one of the three IRL races (2003). The best starting position for the team of second place came in 2003 by Kenny Brack and the best finish of fifth place was in 1999 by Max Papis. Prior to 2019, the team prepared a total of 12 Indy car entries for drivers such as Bobby Rahal (1997-1998), Bryan Herta (1997-1999), Max Papis (1999-2000), Kenny Brack (2000, 2003), Graham Rahal (2017-2018) and Takuma Sato (2018). The No. 15 Mi-Jack Honda entry for Graham Rahal and No. 30 Mi-Jack / Panasonic entry for Takuma Sato will bring that total to 14 in 2019.
RAHAL HOPES TO TURN A STRONG RUN AT IOWA INTO SUCCESS AT WWT
The 2019 race will be Rahal’s third at the track. His highest start is seventh and highest finish is 10th – both in 2018. In 2018, he started seventh in the race based on entrant points when qualifying was rained out. The race immediately went yellow for a crash by Bourdais. On the restart, he reported a big wiggle that forced him to lift and he lost three spots to run 10th. He was passed a few laps later by Veach. Once those who were on a four-stop strategy began to pit he cycled up to second place by Lap 62/248 before he made his first stop on Lap 63 on a three-stop strategy. He returned to the track in 13th and was up to P10 on Lap 114. On Lap 116, he was told he could use more fuel to pass Hinchcliffe, who had a pack backed up behind him. A driver dove past him in Turn 1 and a few cars passed him including his teammate Sato. As the next pit cycle started he moved up to second place by Lap 123 before he made his second stop on Lap 126. Other than Sato, who pit a lap later, he was looking on target for at least a podium finish if the race stayed green. He returned to the track in 15th place, took over 14th after passing Hinchcliffe, and then cycled up as others pit. He was in 11th place on Lap 172 when Hunter-Reay slowed on track right after a pit stop and brought out a caution. His three-stop strategy meant a slower pace and he had dropped a lap down. Once he was given the pass around to get back on the lead lap, he pit on Lap 181 and was now on the same strategy as the field without the advantage the previous strategy afforded. The race restarted and the team elected to try to salvage the strategy by saving fuel. He held ninth place but was passed by Ed Jones, who had pit on Lap 226 and was able to use full power without saving fuel. He held 10th place until the checkered flag. Was his second Indy car race here. In 2017, Rahal started 13th but during the pace laps, Kanaan spun and Rahal moved into 12th before the green. Once the race started, pole sitter Will Power spun and collected Carpenter and Sato to move Rahal into ninth place. He was able to stay out longer than a few cars and cycled into fifth before his first stop on Lap 61 of 248. He returned to the track in eighth place and held the position until his second stop on Lap 104 during a full course caution for JR Hildebrand. After the restart he passed Ryan Hunter-Reay for seventh on Lap 113. He held the spot until the next pit cycle approached and took over sixth place when Rossi pit before he made his third stop on Lap 158. He returned to the race in sixth place and held it through a full course caution for Chilton who spun. He passed Hinchcliffe for fifth on Lap 183 when the Canadian had to check up behind Dixon and Rahal got around him. During his fourth and final stop under caution for Hunter-Reay who hit the wall, Rahal pitted from fifth place but left the pit with the fuel probe still attached to the car. At the start of the race, telemetry showed that the fuel probe sensor wasn’t working so the team had to take extra precautions for the stops. The probe sensor ensures that the car cannot go into gear to depart until the fuel nozzle is out of the car. Race control ruled that Rahal had to go to the back of the field due to the incident and he moved back to 14th place. He passed Andretti on the restart and later passed Jones for 12th, which he held until the checkered flag.
“I feel good about how competitive we should be at St. Louis. I think we had a lot of potential at Iowa; we were pretty strong and I think there is quite a lot that we can carry over from Iowa to St. Louis. We didn’t test there and some other teams did which might hurt us a little bit but I think we should be able to go there and be pretty strong. We will do the best that we can for our sponsors, try to perform well and put a good show on for the fans, and Curtis (Francois) and his staff there that makes it happen. They do a great job.”
TAKUMA HOPES FOR A STRONG RESULT AFTER RUNNING WELL AS IOWA SPEEDWAY
This will be Takuma’s third race here. His highest start is sixth in 2017 and his highest finish is ninth last year. In 2018, he started 13th in the race based on entrant points due to rain canceling qualifying. The race immediately went yellow for a crash by Bourdais. On the restart, he was passed by Veach and Pigot but was back in 12th by Lap 8. Once those who were on a four-stop strategy began to pit, he cycled up to second place by Lap 62 and into the lead on Lap 63/248 before he made his first stop on Lap 64 on a three-stop strategy. He and Rahal were last to make their first stops. He returned to the track in 15th and was up to P12 on Lap 114 and 10th by Lap 117 after he passed Rahal and another. As the next pit cycle started he led the race again on Lap 124 before he made his second stop on Lap 126. He pit a lap later than anyone and was looking on target for at least a podium finish if the race stayed green. He returned to the track in 14th place, took over 13th after passing Hinchcliffe, and then cycled up as others pit. He was in 10th place on Lap 172 when Hunter-Reay slowed on track right after a pit stop and brought out a caution. His three-stop strategy meant a slower pace and he had dropped a lap down. Once he was given the pass around to get back on the lead lap, he pit on Lap 181 and was now on the same strategy as the field without the advantage the previous strategy afforded. The race restarted and the team elected to try to salvage the strategy by saving fuel. He held eighth place but was passed by Ed Jones, who had pit on Lap 226 and was able to use full power without saving fuel. He held 9th place until the checkered flag. In 2017, he qualified a strong sixth but the race went yellow when Tony Kanaan spun on the pace lap. Once the green flag flew, pole sitter Will Power lost control of his race car as did Ed Carpenter and collected Sato as he was spinning. Sato only completed six of 248 laps. He finished third at the previous short oval race this season at Iowa Speedway and is hopeful for a strong performance at Gateway.
“I think we have a good car on ovals this year, generally speaking, and in particular that is true on short ovals. Iowa was promising this year. That was the same tendency last year with the exception of St. Louis where we didn’t have the pace. With the 2019 general oval setup, it will hopefully bring us to the next level. St. Louis is a great, unique track. Turns 1 and 2 have a lot more banking but Turns 3 and 4 are flatter. I think that if you can make a very good exit from Turns 3 and 4, there are tons of overtaking opportunities going into Turn 1. I really enjoy it. Hopefully we will have a competitive car and have a great shot at the win.”
TWO OF GRAHAM’S FAVORITE THINGS IN ONE PLACE – HOCKEY AND RACING
It’s well-known that Rahal is an avid hockey fan. He met current St. Louis Blues team captain Alex Pietrangelo in 2014 and met Colton Parayko the following year so he was understandably happy for them when the team won the Stanley Cup on June 12, 2019. Rahal is looking forward to seeing both players out at the track again. Alex attended in 2017 and Colton attended in 2017 and 2018.
“The city has been riding a high since the Blues won the Stanley Cup. I’m excited to see Alex (Pietrangelo) and to see Colton (Parayko) again. Colton was with us a couple of weeks ago on a mini vacation. And I’m definitely excited to see the Stanley Cup! I’ve seen it before, in St. Louis during the Winter Classic, but I’m looking forward to seeing it ‘uncaged’ for the first time. Knowing Alex and Colton, and knowing all of the work that goes into winning a Stanley Cup will make it even more special to see them in person with the Cup at a race. Racing and hockey are two of my favorite things!”
THE POINT STANDINGS
The three remaining races in 2019 will take place on one oval and two road courses — Portland International Raceway and the double-points race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Rahal is seventh in series point standings with a total of 334 and is 73 points out of fifth place Will Power, 407. Takuma Sato is eighth in series point standings with 331.