Dakar Rally News: Rahal Believes Iowa Doubleheader Can Be a “Hell of a Show” for IndyCar
Veteran IndyCar racer Graham Rahal is optimistic that this weekend’s doubleheader at the newly repaved Iowa Speedway can deliver an exciting show for fans, but only if the drivers work together to build up the second groove.
Prior to hosting its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series event, the 0.875-mile oval underwent a repave on the inside portion of each of the four turns, extending just wide enough for two Indy cars to run side-by-side. Additionally, this will be the first oval race with IndyCar’s new hybrid unit, which provides an extra 60 horsepower.
During a test last month led by Andretti Global’s Colton Herta, several drivers recorded lap times quicker than the previous qualifying record of 186.809 mph set by Helio Castroneves in 2014. However, with IndyCar reducing the downforce levels following the test, Rahal is concerned the race could turn into a single-file affair if the drivers don’t collaborate.
“What I mean play ball is we’ve got high line practice Friday first 30 minutes of practice, and if the guys decide they’re going to do high line practice and run low or do whatever kind of gamesmanship they all played the last couple times we’ve done this, then we’re not doing what’s in the best interest of the sport,” Rahal explained.
The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver is optimistic that the second lane will come in quickly, just as it did during the recent NASCAR event, where the race featured numerous side-by-side battles and 17 lead changes – a far cry from how the series tested.
“I think that the second lane will come in, and it will be fine,” Rahal said. “I’m going to be Mr. Positive here, and I’m going to say that we’re going to get that in and put on a hell of a show, like we typically do at Iowa.”
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