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[/media-credit]DETROIT, Mich. (June 4, 2012) – Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing (SCCGR) driver Graham Rahal finished 19th at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, on the Streets of Belle Isle. The result comes in at his 83rd IZOD IndyCar Series career start and his second event on the Streets of Belle Isle. The first time he competed on the course was the series’ last trip to Belle Isle in 2008, where he started sixth and finished 13th.
Going into Sunday’s race, Rahal posted the quickest time in the final warm-up session on the 2.07-mile street circuit that morning. He started the race from the 17th position, running as high as sixth within the first 28 laps and spent 12 laps running in the top-10 for the initial stages. Due to deteriorating track conditions, the race was red flagged 45 laps into the 90-lap event for track repair. After a two-hour delay, the race was resumed for 15-laps, taking the race to a final 60-lap distance. Coming out of the delay, the No.38 Service Central car suffered a mechanical error, causing the team to lose two laps and ultimately finish 19th.
With the result, Rahal is now 15th in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings with 109 markers, -123 points out of the top spot.
Up next, Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing will compete in the Firestone 550, in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, June 9 (8:00pm ET on NBC Sports Network).
SCCGR Quoteboard
Graham Rahal: “Detroit was a tough weekend for us. Our car was very fast, we fought hard, qualified well and raced very well from our 17th starting spot. We worked hard to make up some ground and unfortunately fell short with a sensor malfunction. Once the race went red we restarted and the clutch wouldn’t work. It was really a tough break and bad luck for us. However, I am proud of my team and all their effort. They have done an amazing job.”
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 14 championships and 147 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and fourRolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.
For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com
