Graham Rahal Becomes Youngest Champ Car Driver to Earn A Top-Three Podium Finish
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Apr 23, 2007
Medi | Zone driver Graham Rahal became the youngest Champ Car driver to earn a top-three podium finish when he finished second after starting sixth in the Grand Prix of Houston. While missing his Senior Prom weekend, Rahal completed the first one-two finish for the team since Sebastien Bourdais and Oriol Servia accomplished the feat in Las Vegas in the fall of 2005.
In warm, humid conditions, the race started under caution due to the field not being aligned properly and when the green flag flew on the second lap Rahal held sixth place. On Lap 11, he trailed Neel Jani and began to close on him and passed him for position on Lap 17. After that, he attempted to close on fourth place Oriol Servia, who was filling in for the injured Paul Tracy but was unable to close much due to attempting to conserve fuel. The caution flag flew on Laps 28-32 for debris and the entire field made their first pit stop of the race on Lap 29. Due to a quick stop by the Medi | Zone crew Rahal gained two positions from Justin Wilson and Will Power and returned to the track in third place. He trailed race leader Bourdais and Servia for the ensuing laps and averaged a one second deficit to Servia until his next stop on Lap 67.
