He stated the Quick Six session was “actually difficult” as a result of downside, however he beat his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team-mate Christian Lundgaard by simply over a tenth of a second to take his fourth profession pole and his first since Detroit 2017.
“In Q1, I feel we had been nonetheless P2 or 3, however I used to be not happy in any respect with the automobile,” he stated. “Even in Q2, once we had been P1, it was only a horrible lap.
“That is all the time an excellent signal. It is good to have the ability to really feel that method. It has been an extended, very long time since I felt very in management, may make it occur once we wanted to, put it collectively.
“Q3, it was actually difficult, frankly. My brake pedal was actually, actually lengthy by means of all of qualifying, which it was this morning, too. We bled them. Thought it was going to be higher. It wasn’t.
“I locked just a few occasions in Q3. Sort of launched the pedal and hoped it caught, and it labored out.”
When requested to elucidate the issue additional, he replied: “The one factor I’ll say with these brakes, in the event you rebuild the callipers and stuff again on the store, for some motive it is exceptionally exhausting to get them functioning appropriately afterwards. It takes lots of time.”
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
His Indy pole comes on his racing return to the fabled IMS racetrack, the place final day trip he suffered a rollercoaster Indy 500 weekend – failing to qualify in his personal automobile, after which beginning the race late as he subbed for the injured Stefan Wilson.
“You progress on from Might as greatest you possibly can,” he stated. “There’s lots of frequent reminders what occurred there, not solely in qualifying, however the automobile not working at first of the race, issues like that.
“These are issues that construct character. I have not advised many individuals this, however once I obtained again to my cellphone after Might, after qualifying, the very first voice mail I had was from Al Unser Jr.
“Guys like that, you see anyone like him who’s been right here, who’s gained right here, however he is additionally seen the lows of the low. The very best have went by means of it.”
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Picture by: Gavin Baker / Motorsport Images
Rahal says the consequence doesn’t have a significant affect on his plans for 2024, having beforehand prompt that he may race exterior of his father’s workforce as soon as extra.
“It is nonetheless a piece in progress,” he stated. “Nothing’s signed, nothing’s modified. My intentions are to remain.
“We have a particularly, extraordinarily good core group of sponsors, I feel higher than anyone else within the sequence. That is rising for subsequent 12 months. There is not any intention to swap. I’ve talked to others, however that does not imply that I am one foot out the door.
“Everyone is aware of this: I wished to not solely consider the place the workforce stands however myself. I feel it is necessary to take a step again, look within the mirror, work out the place I need to go, and what I need to do.
“Working qualifying on pole helps these selections, for certain, understanding that you could nonetheless do it, understanding you could be upfront. A win tomorrow would make it even sweeter.
“On the finish of the day I feel lots of people simply assume I’ll retire at some stage quickly. I imply, I am solely 34. I do know I have been right here for 100 years, however I nonetheless really feel like I’ve obtained a short while left.”