INDIANAPOLIS — Graham Rahal was bumped from the Indianapolis 500 area by Jack Harvey, who used a last-ditch qualifying run Sunday to knock his teammate out of “The Biggest Spectacle in Racing” by a mere .007 mph.
The Rahal Letterman Lanigan group was in a horrible place headed into the last-chance qualifying session as a result of all three of its full-time drivers had been within the backside 4. The ultimate three spots within the 33-car area had been to be determined by Rahal, son of staff proprietor Bobby Rahal; Christian Lundgaard; Harvey; and Sting Ray Robb of Dale Coyne Racing.
Harvey wanted three qualifying runs to bump Rahal from the sphere, which occurred as time expired on the session, and Rahal was left watching on an iPad from inside his automobile. There was no time left for Rahal to make one other run, and he was devastated.
His father, Bobby, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner, missed the race in 1993, the 12 months after he received the sequence championship.
“I knew from the beginning we had been in bother,” Graham Rahal stated earlier than being overcome by tears. He walked away mid-interview and sat on the aspect of his automobile, head in palms and sobbing. His younger daughter approached, and Rahal leaned in and hugged her whereas his spouse, Courtney Power, patted him on the shoulder.
The 34-year-old racer has stated all week that he is in a contract 12 months and would not need to proceed driving for his father’s staff if the automobiles aren’t able to successful. Retirement can be an possibility.
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