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IndyCar - Rahal Long Beach Preview


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Long Beach, Apr. 11, 2012: Team Manager John Cummiskey on Long Beach: “Long Beach is always a favorite and I look forward to it each year. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is a very important race for the auto industry and a fan favorite. We will all be working very hard to keep the Service Central Honda car up front throughout the weekend.”

There’s an App for that: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently launched one of the first mobile applications for the high-velocity world of racing. This new application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of CGRT. The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), IZOD IndyCar Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

Graham Rahal and the No. 38 Service Central Team

Follow Graham on Twitter: Follow @grahamrahal for updates as the driver of the No. 38 Service Central Honda completes his second season with Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Barber Recap: Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing (SCCGR) driver Rahal finished fourth in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The result marked Rahal’s 16th top-five finish in his IZOD IndyCar Series career and his best result through two rounds of the IZOD IndyCar Series season. Rahal started the 90-lap race from eighth and battled Helio Castroneves for a podium spot throughout the 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course. Rahal finished the race 0.2245-seconds behind Castroneves, just missing his first podium of the 2012 season.

In the Points: As a result of Rahal’s top-five at Barber, he is now seventh in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings with 50 markers, -36 points behind leader Helio Castroneves.

Rahal on Long Beach: “I'm very excited to get back racing this weekend and particularly excited for the Grand Prix. It's one of the most iconic races around the world, and I would love to break through and grab a win here. We're coming off a very strong finish in Barber. Our team is eager to keep the momentum moving forward.”

Long Beach Rewind: Last season at the Streets of Long Beach, Rahal started from the 16th position and ran consistently in the top-15 throughout the first 25 laps of the race. After the Service Central team completed their first pit stop, Rahal made contact with another car leaving pit lane without withstanding any major damage. The Service Central team continued to battle on the track but would find trouble again when Rahal clipped his front wing while attempting to dodge an accident on a restart. The Service Central car ultimately would finish in the 13th position.

Career at Long Beach: In five career starts on the streets of Long Beach, Rahal has an average start and finish position of 11.6 and 13.6, respectively. His best start was seventh in 2009 and his best finish was eighth in 2007.

INDYCAR 36 Follows Graham: The second episode of the new show “IndyCar 36” will feature Rahal and the Service Central team and will debut this weekend in Long Beach as the lead-in to the race coverage at 3pm ET on Sunday, April, 15, on the NBC Sports Network. The all-new original series produced by IMS Productions gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of a world-class driver in the middle of race season. The “IndyCar 36” cameras will follow a driver for thirty-six hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on and off-track activities of the stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The programs will be a must watch for any racing fan to understand the high-pressure environment of professional racing, even before the starting positions are earned and victory laps are completed.

"How tall are you?”: Rahal recently met and answered questions for a group of Indiana fourth-graders at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the award-winning 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program. Aside from getting the opportunity to meet with some of their favorite drivers, the students will undergo a six-week program that incorporates interactive experiences around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and teaches the history and culture of Indiana motorsports. Nearly 22,000 students from 320 schools across the state are enrolled in this year’s program in “Teaching the Next Generation of Race Fans.”