Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing completed the 2025 Indy 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway finishing 20th, starting from the 28th position in a race spanning 200 laps. Despite a performance that fell short of expectations, Rahal secured prize money totaling $9,950 during the event.
Throughout the race, Rahal made steady progress through the field, improving his starting position by eight spots. Though not reaching the upper echelons of the standings, his effort resulted in a finish that still contributed to his season earnings and points tally.
Racing dynamics and setbacks during the Indy 500
Rahal began the 2025 Indy 500 with the hope gained from a strong showing in the previous round, the SONSIO Grand Prix. In that event on the Indianapolis road course, he led much of the race before fading to sixth place. This performance had bolstered his confidence heading into the grainy challenge of the 500-mile oval race.
However, Rahal struggled during qualifying, earning a starting position near the back of the pack. While he gained positions in the race itself, the early laps were marred by setbacks including falling a lap behind, which Rahal noted as detrimental to his overall result.
“It was the finish, I suppose, that was predicted based on the way the rest of the month had gone, which is disappointing. I just felt like I wasn’t really in the hunt today until too late. I think we got the car much better as the race went on, but it was the last two stints. The early stints when we went a lap down, just put us in a hole and ruined our race so it’s disappointing.” —Graham Rahal, driver
Current season performance and future prospects for Rahal
Following six rounds of the 2025 IndyCar season, Graham Rahal holds 15th place in the overall standings with 102 points, just behind fellow competitor Josef Newgarden. His campaign to date includes one top-10 finish, indicating a season with mixed results but potential for improvement.
Rahal has been a regular presence in America’s premier open-wheel series since 2008, with nearly 280 career starts. Despite extensive experience, a season championship or an Indianapolis 500 victory has thus far eluded him.
Looking beyond the Indy 500, Rahal aims to capitalize on the remaining races in the 2025 season. With eleven events left on the calendar, he is focused on climbing into the top 10 in the Drivers’ standings before the season concludes.
“We knew the race would be one of attrition yesterday and we gave it all we had. Moved forward and brought home $9,950 for #TurnsForTroops on a weekend dedicated to our Armed Forces. We’ll be back in Detroit and ready to get to work.” —Graham Rahal, driver
