Rahal tests with Michael Shank Racing
Rahal, who made history recently by taking second place in just his third Champ Car race start at just eighteen years old, already has experience in the Rolex Sports Car Series and might be looking to grow that part of his racing resume later this year.
“Everything went really well," said Rahal. “The goal was to just get in the car and get a feel for it, but we were actually pretty quick so it felt good. The team has a experienced engineering staff and the car was really well prepared so we made a good bit of progress. I was glad Mike (Shank) gave me the opportunity to test, and hopefully things work out so I get a chance to race with them later this season."
Rahal wasn’t the only driver in action for the team, as full-season pilots John Pew, Ian James, Mark Patterson, and Oswaldo Negri all got down to business in the two team Lexus-Riley combinations. Patterson and Negri scored a podium in the last round of Rolex Sports Car Series racing at Laguna Seca with a strong third place showing.
“Even though it is our home track, Mid-Ohio has not always been our best from a performance point of view, so we came out here looking to change that for when we come back to race later this month," said Shank. “Graham did a good job for us, and hopefully we will be in better shape when we come back to race with the new data we got."
Shank has tested a wide range of drivers at Mid-Ohio, including the son of American Formula One driver Dan Gurney, Alex, and two-time Atlantics Champion Jon Fogarty as well as Champ Car rookie Alex Figge. Fogarty and Gurney went on to take their first Rolex win earlier this season.