Rahal wins, tightens IndyCar points race
LEXINGTON, Ohio — Racing in his home state and only a few laps from tightening the IndyCar standings with a big victory Graham Rahal still had one more big restart to sweat out.
On lap 84 of 90, he and Justin Wilson battled for position, with Rahal eventually staying in front.
“I was nervous on that last restart because we didn’t have push-to-pass and he did,” Rahal said. “Obviously he got fully around me pretty much, but still gave me room and I just slid down underneath him there and took off.
“I knew if I got out front, I felt very confident that nobody could catch me.”
Rahal had an easy time from there, winning Sunday’s race at Mid-Ohio and pulling to within nine points of series leader Juan Pablo Montoya. There are two events remaining in the season, and Montoya’s lead has shrunk thanks to back-to-back finishes outside the top 10.
Wilson finished second, 3.4 seconds behind. Simon Pagenaud was third, followed by pole winner Scott Dixon. Montoya, who came into the race with a 42-point lead over Rahal, finished 11th.
“I mean, 42 points, I’m not going to lie to you, it sounded like a lot,” Rahal Graham Rahal (front) beat Justin Wilson (back) on the final restart and cruised to victory just 45 miles from his Ohio home. said. “I really thought it was a lot. So this was a nice surprise here.”
Rahal is a native of New Albany, which is about 45 miles south of the MidOhio course.
Montoya, this year’s Indianapolis 500 winner had finished out of the top 10 only once all season until a last-place showing at Iowa on July 18. He was out of the top 10 again Sunday, and the championship appears to be very much up for grabs.
“We did everything we were supposed to do today and the race was playing out perfectly for us,” Montoya said. “Unfortunately we got a caution with about 25 laps to go that we didn’t need. It worked out for some and didn’t work out for others.”
ANOTHER RACE
NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma, Calif.: Jack Beckman earned his second straight victory and fifth of the season, beating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the Funny Car final.
Beckman had a 4.037-second run at 310.63 mph in a Dodge Charger to pull away from Johnson.
Beckman also received a 20-point bonus this weekend for setting the national elapsed-time record of 3.921 seconds. He earned 147 of 150 available points in the event.
“I feel like I have the best crew in drag racing right now,” Beckman said about his team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock. “Winning the race and being No. 1 qualifier and setting the national record is icing on top of icing on top of the cake.”
Antron Brown won in Top Fuel, Chris McGaha in Pro Stock, and Eddie Krawiec in Pro Stock Motorcycle, marking the first time in NHRA history that all four No. 1 qualifiers also won the event.
Brown raced to his fourth win of the season and 51st of his career, outrunning Dave Connolly with a 3.787 at 320.74. McGaha earned his first career Pro Stock victory, beating Jason Line with a 6.531 at 212.13 in a Chevrolet Camaro. Krawiec topped Jerry Savoie with a 6.881 at 191.00 on a Harley-Davidson.