Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Verizon IndyCar Series
PRACTICE NOTES/QUOTES – July 26, 2019
SATO AND RAHAL ENDED HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO PRACTICE 20TH AND 23RD
1) Colton Herta 1:05.7292 / 123.671 mph
20) Takuma Sato 1:06.9536 / 121.409 mph
23) Graham Rahal 1:07.2755 / 120.829 mph
GRAHAM RAHAL, No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “We tried a lot today and made a big swing in the second session after struggling in Practice 1. Everyone puts a lot into this program so I know it’s not a lack of effort but we’re not in the ballpark right now. We still have tomorrow to figure it out so we’re going to dig in and come back out here fighting tomorrow.“
TAKUMA SATO, No. 30 Mi-Jack / Panasonic Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was a little bit of a tough day. The session was interrupted by a red lap and we never got a timed lap with the red tire which was a shame and I believe a lot of people are in the same boat. However, we are still on the bottom of the time sheets so we need to find the speed. Last year we came back quite strong in Practice 3 so hopefully overnight we will analyze and come back better tomorrow. We are struggling with a little bit of everything. Struggling on rotation, snap oversteer and the stability on power.”
RAHAL LETTERMAN LANIGAN RACING AT MID-OHIO … The Honda Indy 200 will mark the 22nd Indy car event for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) here. The team also competed in the Atlantic Series race in 2003 with Danica Patrick and has competed in ALMS races here in 2007 and from 2009-2012. The team has one win (G. Rahal 2015), four podiums (3rd: B. Rahal 1997, 1998; G. Rahal 2017) and the highest start is pole (Herta 1997). Another front row start came in 1999 (Herta; 2nd). Prior to the 2019 event, the team prepared a total of 32 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) Ryan Hunter-Reay (2007-2008), Takuma Sato (2012, 2018), Graham Rahal (2013-2018) and James Jakes (2013). The team has earned FOUR podiums (1st – G. Rahal; 3rd – B. Rahal 1997, 1998, G. Rahal 2017), 13 top-five’s and 18 top-10 finishes at the track. The No. 15 Fifth Third Bank entry for Graham Rahal and No. 30 Mi-Jack / Panasonic entry for Takuma Sato will bring the Indy car total to 34 entries in 2019.
NEXT UP: Practice 3 will take place tomorrow from 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. ET and qualifying will be 2:35 – 3:50. NBCSN will broadcast qualifying at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Timing and Scoring information is available for all sessions from www.indycar.com and includes commentary by the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.