Q&A: Graham Rahal.

Wednesday, 16th April 2008

Fresh from winning his first-ever IndyCar Series race, on the streets of St Petersburg, Graham Rahal has the chance to go back-to-back in two different cars, but snatch the overall IRL points lead, in the Long Beach Grand Prix.

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Due to a quirk in the unified IndyCar Series schedule, the former Champ Car runners will play out the championship's swansong in California, while the rest of the field will do their thing in Japan - with both races counting for equal points.

Rahal will be reunited with his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Panoz-Cosworth for one last time on the streets of southern California, but took time out of his preparations to face questions on the season so far.

Q:
It's exciting to get Graham Rahal to participate in this teleconference. Mr. Rahal, as you know, has just had an eventful beginning to 2008, started the wrong way hitting the wall in Homestead, but then his team prepared and got him ready for St. Pete in which he captured his first title and became the youngest driver in IndyCar history to win a race.

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It's been an exciting last week for Graham, and he will appear tomorrow on the David Letterman Show, and then he'll be heading west to prep up for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Last year, as many of you recall, he actually qualified fifth here in Long Beach and finished eighth.

I know it's been an eventful last few days for you, Graham, and we appreciate you taking the time. And if I'm not mistaken, you are enjoying the sun in Columbus and on your way to a golf course?

Graham Rahal:
Yeah, absolutely. It's a beautiful day here in Columbus. So I decided, you know, this is going to be my one last day of relaxation before I move off to Long Beach.

And then of course, you know, for us, pretty well right after Long Beach, you go to Kansas, and then we are in Indy for a month. So I figure this is my shot to play a little golf and have a little fun.

So, yeah, the weather is great here and just taking a little time to relax and as you said, it's been awfully busy the last couple of weeks, especially after the win. So it's nice to get a little time.

Q:
Well, you're coming to beautiful weather here in Long Beach. It's going to be nice all week here, as well. Tell us a little bit about what's kind of gone on since you won the race and I'm sure you've been going a mile a minute. Tell us a little bit about the experience.

GR:
Yeah, well, you know, it's just been very busy with a lot of PR happening. You know, for me, I had already agreed to do an appearance at Bridgestone. So yesterday I was in Nashville, and then on Friday I had to go to the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing shop to make a new seat for the IRL. It's been busy; that's the only way to say it.

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