Brett Ludwiczak
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The 109th Indianapolis 500 features a number of Central Ohio connections
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Die-hard Ohio State fan Graham Rahal will be looking to win his first Indianapolis 500 in his 19th start in the prestigious race.
The greatest spectacle in motorsports takes place today just three hours west of Columbus. The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this afternoon, with Josef Newgarden looking to become the first driver to win the prestigious race in three straight years. Along with Newgarden chasing history, there will be a couple of connections to Ohio State and central Ohio.
Even though Graham Rahal didn’t attend Ohio State, the talented driver grew up in New Albany and is a massive Buckeye fan. Rahal will be making his 19th career start in the Indianapolis 500, and is still searching for his first win in the most famous race in motorsports. Last year, Rahal finished in 15th place after starting in the 33rd spot on the grid for the second year in a row. This year, Rahal will start slightly closer to the front after qualifying in the 28th spot.
Rahal has finished in the top-5 in the Indianapolis 500 three times, with his best career finish in the race being when he placed third in 2011 and 2020. Rahal does have a bit of momentum entering the race, as he is coming off a sixth place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix Road Course, marking his best finish since 2023 when he finished in second place at the Gallagher Grand Prix, which was also held at the IMS Grand Prix Road Course. Last year, Rahal finished in the top 10 in five IndyCar races, with his best finish coming at Iowa Speedway when he finished in eighth place.
After five races this season, Rahal currently sits 13th in the IndyCar standings with 92 points. At this rate, Rahal is on track for his best finish in the yearly standings since he finished 11th in 2022 with 345 points. In 2023, Rahal finished in 15th place in the standings, following an 18th-place finish last season. The last time Rahal finished in the top 10 at the end of the year was in 2021 when he finished in seventh place, marking the seventh straight season where he finished in the top 10 in the season standings. The best season for Rahal came in 2014, when he finished the season in fourth place.
Rahal is one of four drivers in this year’s Indianapolis 500 field who will be representing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Bobby Rahal, who is Graham’s father, has ties to Ohio after he was born in Medina and graduated from Denison University. The racing team is also owned by David Letterman and Mike Lanigan. Takuma Sato, who won the 2020 Indianapolis 500, will start in ninth spot, Devlin DeFrancesco starts 18th, and Louis Foster will start his first Indianapolis 500 in 22nd spot. Along with Sato’s victory in 2020, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing also won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 when Buddy Rice kissed the bricks.
Along with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Meyer Shank Racing also has ties to the Columbus area. Owner Michael Shank was born in Columbus, and the team’s headquarters are in Pataskala. The team will field two drivers in this year’s race. Felix Rosenqvist will start in the middle of Row 2 in his seventh start in the race as he looks for his first career Indianapolis 500 win.
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Photo by Colin Mayr/NHLI via Getty Images
If Rosenqvist can use starting near the front of the pack to his advantage to win, he will deny Helio Castroneves his fifth Indianapolis 500 victory, which would be the most in history, breaking the tie he is currently in with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Castroneves’ most recent win in the Indianapolis 500 came in 2021. The victory in 2021 by Castroneves is the lone Indianapolis 500 victory for Meyer Shank Racing. Castroneves will start this year’s race in 22nd place.
Even though he doesn’t have any ties to Ohio State or the state of Ohio, one other fun note from today’s race is that Kyle Larson will try and run not only the Indianapolis 500, but he will also try and race the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte this evening. Last year, Larson tried to accomplish the feat, but the Indianapolis 500 was delayed nearly four hours by rain, not allowing Larson to complete the 1,100 miles of racing. Tony Stewart is the only driver who has been able to complete both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day, finishing sixth at Indy before finishing third in Charlotte.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Die-hard Ohio State fan Graham Rahal will be looking to win his first Indianapolis 500 in his 19th start in the prestigious race.
The greatest spectacle in motorsports takes place today just three hours west of Columbus. The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this afternoon, with Josef Newgarden looking to become the first driver to win the prestigious race in three straight years. Along with Newgarden chasing history, there will be a couple of connections to Ohio State and central Ohio.
Even though Graham Rahal didn’t attend Ohio State, the talented driver grew up in New Albany and is a massive Buckeye fan. Rahal will be making his 19th career start in the Indianapolis 500, and is still searching for his first win in the most famous race in motorsports. Last year, Rahal finished in 15th place after starting in the 33rd spot on the grid for the second year in a row. This year, Rahal will start slightly closer to the front after qualifying in the 28th spot.
Rahal has finished in the top-5 in the Indianapolis 500 three times, with his best career finish in the race being when he placed third in 2011 and 2020. Rahal does have a bit of momentum entering the race, as he is coming off a sixth place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix Road Course, marking his best finish since 2023 when he finished in second place at the Gallagher Grand Prix, which was also held at the IMS Grand Prix Road Course. Last year, Rahal finished in the top 10 in five IndyCar races, with his best finish coming at Iowa Speedway when he finished in eighth place.
After five races this season, Rahal currently sits 13th in the IndyCar standings with 92 points. At this rate, Rahal is on track for his best finish in the yearly standings since he finished 11th in 2022 with 345 points. In 2023, Rahal finished in 15th place in the standings, following an 18th-place finish last season. The last time Rahal finished in the top 10 at the end of the year was in 2021 when he finished in seventh place, marking the seventh straight season where he finished in the top 10 in the season standings. The best season for Rahal came in 2014, when he finished the season in fourth place.
Rahal is one of four drivers in this year’s Indianapolis 500 field who will be representing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Bobby Rahal, who is Graham’s father, has ties to Ohio after he was born in Medina and graduated from Denison University. The racing team is also owned by David Letterman and Mike Lanigan. Takuma Sato, who won the 2020 Indianapolis 500, will start in ninth spot, Devlin DeFrancesco starts 18th, and Louis Foster will start his first Indianapolis 500 in 22nd spot. Along with Sato’s victory in 2020, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing also won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 when Buddy Rice kissed the bricks.
Along with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Meyer Shank Racing also has ties to the Columbus area. Owner Michael Shank was born in Columbus, and the team’s headquarters are in Pataskala. The team will field two drivers in this year’s race. Felix Rosenqvist will start in the middle of Row 2 in his seventh start in the race as he looks for his first career Indianapolis 500 win.
If Rosenqvist can use starting near the front of the pack to his advantage to win, he will deny Helio Castroneves his fifth Indianapolis 500 victory, which would be the most in history, breaking the tie he is currently in with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Castroneves’ most recent win in the Indianapolis 500 came in 2021. The victory in 2021 by Castroneves is the lone Indianapolis 500 victory for Meyer Shank Racing. Castroneves will start this year’s race in 22nd place.
Even though he doesn’t have any ties to Ohio State or the state of Ohio, one other fun note from today’s race is that Kyle Larson will try and run not only the Indianapolis 500, but he will also try and race the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte this evening. Last year, Larson tried to accomplish the feat, but the Indianapolis 500 was delayed nearly four hours by rain, not allowing Larson to complete the 1,100 miles of racing. Tony Stewart is the only driver who has been able to complete both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day, finishing sixth at Indy before finishing third in Charlotte.
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