The winner of last year’s IndyCar Series race on this city’s streets returned to the spotlight Saturday by winning the pole for today’s race. It was yet another series first for the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, and the records keep coming.
Rahal became the youngest IndyCar race winner last year; now he’s the youngest pole winner.
At age 20 years 90 days, Rahal becomes the youngest pole winner in IndyCar Series history, supplanting the mark Marco Andretti set in last year’s race in Milwaukee.
“In that sense, it gets no sweeter,” Rahal said. “I grew up as a Rahal wanting to beat an Andretti—it’s just how it works, and vice versa—and those are the two biggest names in open-wheel racing. But while it’s a great thing, you need to beat everybody else and that was more important.”
Wilson, who was ninth here and won on the road course at Detroit’s Belle Isle last year, lost his ride with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing after the season and spent the winter in uncertainty. The deal with Coyne didn’t come together until late February.
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“This means a lot to me,” Wilson said. “I feel like I’m proving I deserve to be here. It was a difficult off season where I didn’t know what was going to happen and I didn’t know if I was going to be back in a car. It was very frustrating after the progress I’ve made over the years.
“Finishing second in the championship in Champ Car two years in a row and coming across and winning a race as a transition team, I felt we were showing well. It was just unfortunate circumstances that I was out of a drive. But the whole (Coyne) team is very motivated and we want to translate that into a podium finish tomorrow. But it’s one step at a time.”
Brazilian Tony Kanaan will be on the second row with Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe of Australia.
Scotland’s Dario Franchitti, making his debut with Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar Series team, will share the third row with Team Penske’s Will Power.
Reigning IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon of New Zealand posted the eighth-fastest qualifying time to start on the fourth row.
Rahal has several friends and family here, including his father, 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal. However, his father does not have a race team to prepare as it went on hiatus.
“He has a reason (to stay) now, but he might disappear,” the younger Rahal said. “Because he was here all weekend, it would be disappointing if he did leave.”
So the younger Rahal will have to carry the family name for some time. To this point, he has done it very well.
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