ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2009:
Second season of competition in the IndyCar Series.  Drove the No. 02 McDonald’s sponsored car for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.  Became the youngest pole position winner in IndyCar history at the St. Petersburg, FL event and also scored his first oval-track pole position later in the season at Kansas Speedway.  Secured his highest starting position for the Indianapolis 500 (4th).  Finished 7th in the season points standings with podium finishes in Richmond and Motegi, Japan.

Accomplishments

2008:
Drove the No. 06 Hole in the Wall Camps entry in his first season of IndyCar Series competition and second in the headline event of a major open-wheel series…Became the youngest winner in IndyCar Series history when he drove to victory in his series debut in St. Pete at the age of 19 years and 93 days old.

Was the highest Indy 500 starter of the Champ Car transitioning teams with his 13th place qualifying position in his Indy debut

Missed his first pole at Milwaukee by 2/10th of a second over a four lap average and started a career best second to Andretti in what was the first Andretti/Rahal front row since 1992 in Loudon, NH.

Drove a Formula One car for the first time when BMW contracted him to drive their BMW Sauber race car at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show for four days in January on a purpose-made Pit Lane Park track.

Competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the third time…Co-drove a Ford Riley for Michael Shank Racing with Justin Wilson, Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson. Started from pole and overcame several minor problems while running in the lead pack until Wilson hit curbing that led to extensive repairs but the team came back to finish sixth.

2007:
Debuts in Champ Car World Series with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. Finishes second in only the third race of the season, which puts him in the record books as the youngest ever podium finisher in Champ Car history.

Raced for Rahal Letterman Racing in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring in the team’s Porsche GT2 , finishing sixth in class and drove for Southard Motorsports in the Daytona 24 Hour race.

2006:
Competed in Champ Car Formula Atlantic Championship for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing in a car sponsored by Gehl. Finished Runner Up in overall points standings and en route became the youngest winner ever of an Atlantics race. He notched numerous season records including most race wins, with five victories, most laps led, most fastest race laps (five events), highest ranking prize money winner, best average qualifying position, posted new qualifying lap records at three events, and new lap records at four tracks. Awarded the BBS of America Rising Star Award.

Competed in final three rounds of inaugural season of A1 Grand Prix with A1 Team Lebanon. Competed in his first endurance sports car race ever when he was the youngest driver in the 2006 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona Jan. 28-29 at the age of 17, finishing sixth in the GT class driving a Porsche GT3 Cup car for Tafel Racing. Became the third generation of the Rahal family to drive in the 12 hours of Sebring, finishing sixth in the GT2 class Alex Job Racing Porsche.

2005:
Finished fourth in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear driving for Andersen Walko Racing. Won race at Portland Int?l Raceway in Portland, Ore. to become the youngest race winner ever in the history of the series at the age of 16. Was on the podium in six of the 12 events; finished second by inches in his first oval-track race ever at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Also became the youngest SCCA national champion ever at the Runoffs when he was won the Formula Atlantic national championship, a title his father won 30 years earlier.

2004 :
Rahal made his debut in the inaugural Formula BMW Series, a 14-race North American road racing series featuring 1200cc BMW motorcycle engines in open-wheel formula cars. . .He won a driving scholarship in the Formula BMW series and received an exemption to run to the 2004 season at age of 15. . .He finished third in the Formula BMW USA Rookie of the Year battle, and seventh overall in the championship, as he posted four top-five results and 11 top-ten finishes in the 14 race schedule, despite being the second youngest driver in the series. . .qualified on the front row at Elkhart Lake and led the first lap of the Round 9 race at Road America. . .claimed his first podium finish at Denver when he finished third. . .posted ten straight top-ten results to finish the season.

2003:
Finished third in the ICC (125cc Shifter) division in Stars of Karting national championship race in Beaumont, Calif. At age 14, finished behind karting stars Darren Elliott (age 35) and Bobby Wilson (age 22). . .Placed fourth in the ICC national points in the Stars of Karting series. . .Captured his first national championship race with the ICC main event win at Road America in June. . .Featured in several Speed Channel karting television shows.

2002:
Competed in the 80cc shifter division as well as 100cc Yamaha class. . .Nearly won the Western Division point championship in 80cc shifter class, engine blew in the last race of the year. . .Won his first national race at PatÕs Acres in Canby, Oregon . . .Scored eight podium finishes during the 2002 season. . .Placed seventh in the 80cc shifter division point standings driving for Shift Kart.

2001:
At age 12, competed in Yamaha and 80cc shifter classes, winning regional races in Yamaha. . .Won his first 80cc shifter pole position at South Bend, Ind., leading the final when a flat tire cost him the win. . .Finished third in the South Bend WKA race in 80cc shifter. . .Ran in selected national races for the first time.

2000:
Won nine of 16 races in the Ohio Valley Karting Association regional races. . .Named Rookie of the Year in the 100cc class in the region.

Personal

Birthdate:
January 4, 1989

Birthplace:
Columbus, OH

Residence:
New Albany, OH

Height / Weight:
6' 2" / 175 lbs

Family:
Father: Bobby
Mother: Debi
Sisters: Michaela and Samantha
Brother: Jarrad

Racing goals:
To be a true champion at the highest levels of racing

Most memorable racing achievement:
Winning the Atlantic races (Cleveland) in front of my home town crowd in 2006

Racing heroes:
Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher and my Dad

If not racing:
I would be working on my car

Philosophy:
Success will find its way if you are focused and dedicated to what you are trying to accomplish

Admires in others:
Confidence, but not too much!

Person who was the greatest influence:
My Dad and Paul Newman

Physical preparation:
Cycling and moderate weight lifting; Also skiing, running and cycling

Hobbies:
Cars, hanging out with my friends, playing other sports for fun

Favorite clothes:
Robert Graham and William Rast

Personal vehicles:
Acura TL, Ferrari 599, Range Rover Sport Supercharged, 1964 Mini Cooper I restored and a 2004
Suburu WRX sti (my first car)

Favorite TV show:
Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game or Ohio State football game!

Favorite movie:
Wedding Crashers

Favorite actor:
Owen Wilson

Favorite actress:
Keira Knightley

Favorite book:
Both Lance Armstrong books

Favorite food:
Sushi

Favorite drink:
Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha

Personal cooking specialty:
Anything microwavable

Best day of the year:
My birthday - January 4th

Favorite off-track sport:
Golf

Weakness:
Ice Cream and Starbucks