He gave it every part he had.
Given robust likelihood to finish his prolonged winless streak, did almost every part proper. He decisively jumped from second into the race lead within the opening corners when the inexperienced flag flew, saved championship chief within the rear-view mirror for 2 full tire stints and led a race-high 48 laps.
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However it wasn’t sufficient.
Beginning on recent alternate tires, Rahal held the web lead for the opening two-thirds of the race, pacing double-digit laps for the primary time since Portland in 2023. Palou crammed his mirrors, however Rahal was capable of hold the two-time defending champion at bay by the opening three two tire stints.
For a short second, it seemed like Rahal may lastly finish his 128-race winless streak – a drought that stretches again to his 2017 weekend sweep at Belle Isle Park.
Struggling to stretch a used set of alternate tires into the ultimate pit window, Rahal might solely watch as Palou closed as much as his rear wing on new primaries. By lap 58 Palou was proper in his wake, leaping to the skin going into flip 1. Rahal managed to face up to that transfer, however he was helpless to defend himself when Palou surged alongside him on the backstretch and cleared him on the within into flip 7.
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From that second on, the battle for the win was over. All Rahal might do from there was struggle to salvage what he might from the remainder of the race.
“I’m making an attempt, man,” a disillusioned Rahal radioed to his crew.
The following laps weren’t fairly. Struggling on the degrading tire, Rahal rapidly fell again from Palou. By the tip of lap 62, he’d light over eight seconds behind the eventual winner and into the clutches of third-place Scott McLaughlin.
Determined for recent rubber, Rahal introduced his No. 15 to pit highway. However the cease proved to be sadly timed. Rahal’s crew needed to look ahead to the pitting Kyle Kirkwood to cross earlier than releasing him, costing the veteran worthwhile observe time within the course of. When the following pit sequence was full, Rahal had fallen out of podium competition.
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
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From there, all Rahal might do was maintain on. He finally wound up sixth at race’s finish. It was a very good consequence – his finest in 24 races, relationship again to a runner-up run on the identical observe in 2023. However it additionally got here with an amazing sense of disappointment.
Ultimately, Rahal felt there was nothing he might do to beat Palou, or Chip Ganassi Racing as a complete.
“I genuinely am proud,” Rahal stated of his run. “I don’t assume I locked up as soon as. I don’t assume I put one wheel fallacious. I defended as finest I might. However they’re (CGR) simply in a distinct stratosphere of grip. … I attempted to simply drive as flawlessly as I might, as a result of I knew that was the one solution to beat (Palou). However sadly, we’re simply not of their league proper now.”
Constructive begin, powerful end for the RLL teamLouis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Devlin Defrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
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Rahal’s consequence was a microcosm of the day for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, who entered Saturday afternoon with three top-five qualifiers and left Indianapolis with no single top-five to point out for it. Rookie certified third, however light to eleventh over the course of the race. rolled off fifth however sat seventeenth when the checkered flag flew.
The group, , must hold looking for the key to Ganassi’s tempo heading into the Indianapolis 500.
“They’re so quick,” Rahal stated. “It’s not just a bit, it’s all over the place. Even on the straightaways, they only speed up at a distinct tempo. … Any Ganassi automobile behind me, it was like they’d 10 further kilos of increase. It’s wild.
“We’ve simply gotta hold working exhausting to determine what the hell they’re doing.”
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