Rahal compares Champ Car to an IndyCar

Yesterday we posed this question to Graham Rahal – There's been a lot said about the merger, but now that you've had time to drive the IRL car, is there anything that you hope to see somehow transferred from Champ Car that could make its way into the IRL, such as standing starts or push to pass; is there anything that you would like to see make it to the IRL?

"I must say that driving the IRL car was certainly a pleasant surprise," said Graham Rahal, the IRL's youngest winner ever. "I really did enjoy driving it. You know, obviously they have taken a lot of time to develop that car and there are things that that car has that I think, you know, the Champ Car could have benefited from and vice versa.

"Of course, as a driver, you know, you always want more power, and I think Honda certainly, if anybody has got the ability to do it, they do, and it would be great to have their old turbo charged engines from the Champ Car days back.

"At the same time, the speeds that we are seeing on the ovals in these cars already are extremely high, so to make it quicker would certainly be even more dangerous. I think over time, of course, it's going to evolve, and I think that, you know, the biggest thing that I hope happens is that they get a tub that's big enough for Justin and me, because I can certainly tell you, it's tight in there and that's the biggest thing.

"But like I said, it was a very nice car to drive, and when it's handling well, it reminds me a lot of, like I say, where the car was just really good and it just felt so smooth. And of course with a car like that, you know, it's no secret it's got less horsepower, so it's more of a momentum car. You don't drive it into the corner nearly as tough or as fast. So I think it reminds me a lot of an Atlantic car which I really enjoyed."