Graham Rahal, a leading contender for the championship title in the Champ Car Atlantics Championship, moved a step closer to his goal taking victory at the Grand Prix of Denver Atlantics race today, setting a new track record on his way to his fourth win of the season.
The 17-year-old driver took all the points available to him throughout the weekend and in the race, with points for quickest lap in provisional qualifying and another for fastest time in final qualifying, in the build-up to the race. He then added to his total with a point for leading the race and another for posting the fastest lap of the race. His clutch of points narrowed the gap to the championship leader, with Rahal lying second to leader, Simon Pagenaud in the overall points standings, with only 16 points separating the two Atlantic racers.
Rahal, driving for the Mi-Jack Conquest Racing team, posted one of the top two times in every session of the weekend and took the coveted pole position for the race. At the green flag start Rahal left the grid cleanly and stamped his authority on the race immediately, building a half second lead by lap five. Three caution periods during the race tested Rahal's restart skills, but his position at the front was never in doubt.
Each time racing resumed, the youngster pulled away from his rivals. After 35 laps of racing Rahal took the checkered flag for a well-deserved win. "It was a great race today," said Rahal. "I had a gear shift problem this morning which continued into the race this afternoon. The checkered flag couldn't have come soon enough, as I couldn't downshift on the last lap and I coasted over the line. It was a close call.
"I did everything I could this weekend, but my title rival, Pagenaud, also had a good race, so I couldn't wrest the championship lead from him. But we've closed the gap on Pagenaud and we're pushing for the lead every race. We're on a roll now though, so I'll take the fight to him in Montreal."
Rahal is enjoying an outstanding rookie season of racing in the Atlantic championship. His impressive performance in 10 starts, includes four pole positions and five podium finishes, with four wins, the most of any Atlantics driver so far this season. He has also recorded the highest number of laps led in races at 108, most pole positions - four, and fastest race laps in five of the ten races, the most of any drivers in the Atlantic field.
The Champ Car Atlantic Championship has only two weekends of racing remaining in the 2006 season and Rahal knows he needs to keep racing to victory to have a chance of taking the title crown. The Mi-Jack Conquest Racing team and their rivals move on to Montreal in two weeks time, prior to the finale at Road America in September.
