Rahal Rejoins Acura Team Penske for Petit Le Mans

Photo: Rick Dole/IMSA

Graham Rahal will return to Acura Team Penske for next month’s Motul Petit Le Mans, completing the lineup in the team’s No. 7 Acura ARX-05 alongside full-season drivers Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor.

The IndyCar veteran has been drafted into replace Alexander Rossi, who was initially announced as the team’s third driver for the Michelin Endurance Cup races but will be competing in the Bathurst 1000 that weekend in a recently announced entry from Walkinshaw Andretti United.

Rahal was replaced by the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner for the long-distance IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races due to sizing issues with his 6-foot 2-inch frame fitting inside the ORECA-based prototype.

“It will be great to team up with Helio and Ricky again as they close out the season and we’ll be working to get the best possible result to help Acura lock up several championships that weekend,” said Rahal.

“I really enjoyed working with Acura and everyone at Team Penske last year and I have missed racing with them this season. But when this opportunity came up for Petit Le Mans, it was an easy decision.

“I hope I can help them win one of the biggest races of the year.”

Rahal raced with Castroneves and Taylor in the No. 7 Acura DPi at Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta last year, scoring a best finish of fifth at last year’s Petit Le Mans after leading a race-high 128 laps. 

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John