TORONTO – With 11 precious days of non-track activity following the Honda Indy Toronto, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Graham Rahal’s upcoming week will still be busy but not as stressful.
He’ll catch up with fiancée Courtney Force, an NHRA racer, at the event in Bristol, Tenn., and then participate in a couple of media and sponsor events ahead of the MAVTV 500 on June 27 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
The couple, who last fall became engaged to be married, have been coordinating their schedules – and spending considerable time on the phone – to work through wedding/reception details.
Soon after their engagement was announced, Rahal relates, his future father-in-law, John Force, received an unnerving phone call from Bob Rahal.
“Our shop (in Brownsburg, Ind.) is owned by John, so we rent from him,” Graham Rahal said. “As you can probably imagine, the rental bill is quite high every year, so Dad said that he expects that at least John’s going to spend what the rental agreement for three years is on the one wedding.
“I think John didn't really know Dad too well at that point, and I think it made him pretty nervous. It's all good. John is figuring out that Dad and I have a strange sense of humor and we're both pretty hard on him in different ways, so he's kind of getting used to us by now.”
She is competing in Epping, N.H., this weekend.
Concours of Elegance to feature Indy 500 cars
The Concours of Elegance on Sept. 4-6 in Scotland will feature three cars celebrating Dario Franchitti’s Indianapolis 500 victories.
Included each year in the prize package for the race winner is a replica of the pace car. Parked outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be Franchitti's 2007 Chevrolet Corvette, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and 2012 Chevrolet Corvette 427.
“It’s a real honor to be able to contribute in just a small way to celebrating Scotland’s successful history in motor racing,” said Franchitti, who is retired from competitive driving and is a consultant for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.
Turn 2 at Pocono Raceway to be repaved before ABC Supply 500
Verizon IndyCar Series teams should find a smoother Turn 2 at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 22-23 for the ABC Supply 500 – the penultimate race of the season – after a bump significant enough to upset NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars last week will be repaved.
“Everything just got beat up so bad because it was so cold. And it's basically back-to-back years of awful winters, and they're taking their toll,” track president Brandon Igdalsky said.
Also, two infield towers that will hold double-sided 24 foot x 30 foot HD video screens are being constructed and will be operational for the Verizon IndyCar Series race.
How's this for happenstance?
John Jakes was born and reared in the Yorkshire area of England – the same area that Jeremy Hinchcliffe hails from.
Both moved as adults to Canada and settled in Greater Toronto. Both still own homes in Oakville, Ontario.
Both have sons named James who race in the Verizon IndyCar Series for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Of note
James Hinchcliffe, who in lieu of competing in Toronto because of an injury will be the grand marshal, caught up with Jakes and Conor Daly (below), who will drive the No. 5 Arrow/Lucas Oil Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda in the 85-lap race. ... CFH Racing driver Luca Filippi's wife is expecting their first child in July.