The greatest spectacle in motorsports takes place today just three hours west of Columbus. The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this afternoon, with Josef Newgarden looking to become the first driver to win the prestigious race in three straight years. Along with Newgarden chasing history, there will be a couple of connections to Ohio State and central Ohio.
Even though Graham Rahal didn’t attend Ohio State, the talented driver grew up in New Albany and is a massive Buckeye fan. Rahal will be making his 19th career start in the Indianapolis 500, and is still searching for his first win in the most famous race in motorsports. Last year, Rahal finished in 15th place after starting in the 33rd spot on the grid for the second year in a row. This year, Rahal will start slightly closer to the front after qualifying in the 28th spot.
Rahal has finished in the top-5 in the Indianapolis 500 three times, with his best career finish in the race being when he placed third in 2011 and 2020. Rahal does have a bit of momentum entering the race, as he is coming off a sixth place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix Road Course, marking his best finish since 2023 when he finished in second place at the Gallagher Grand Prix, which was also held at the IMS Grand Prix Road Course. Last year, Rahal finished in the top 10 in five IndyCar races, with his best finish coming at Iowa Speedway when he finished in eighth place…