INDIANAPOLIS — Graham Rahal was bumped from the Indianapolis 500 subject by Jack Harvey, who used a last-ditch qualifying run Sunday to knock his teammate out of “The Biggest Spectacle in Racing” by a mere .007 mph.

The Rahal Letterman Lanigan group was in a horrible place headed into the last-chance qualifying session as a result of all three of its full-time drivers had been within the backside 4. The ultimate three spots within the 33-car subject had been to be determined by Rahal, son of crew proprietor Bobby Rahal; Christian Lundgaard; Harvey; and Sting Ray Robb of Dale Coyne Racing.

Harvey wanted three qualifying runs to bump Rahal from the sphere, which occurred as time expired on the session, and Rahal was left watching on an iPad from inside his automotive. There was no time left for Rahal to make one other run, and he was devastated.

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His father, Bobby, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner, missed the race in 1993, the yr after he received the collection championship.

“I knew from the beginning we had been in hassle,” Graham Rahal stated earlier than being overcome by tears. He walked away mid-interview and sat on the aspect of his automotive, head in fingers and sobbing. His younger daughter approached, and Rahal leaned in and hugged her whereas his spouse, Courtney Drive, patted him on the shoulder.

The 34-year-old racer has stated all week that he is in a contract yr and would not need to proceed driving for his father’s crew if the automobiles aren’t able to successful. Retirement can also be an possibility.

“This place, it would not come straightforward, and it would not simply occur, and we weren’t ok,” Rahal stated. “We had been the slowest of our automobiles on pure tempo all week. Sadly, that occurs — however you have to be constructive, and you have to be humble and gracious in victory and defeat.”

Harvey, who’s combating to maintain his job at RLL and to avoid wasting his IndyCar profession, took little pleasure in bumping his teammate from the sphere.

“It is no secret it has been a wrestle, even the primary two runs in qualifying. The hope was all three of our automobiles might make it,” Harvey stated. “The stress of Sunday is completely actual, nevertheless it would not change my love for this place. It is bittersweet. You do not need to know a teammate is out — the aim is to get all three automobiles in. Any second we get to compete on this place is completely superb.

“It is a tremendous feeling and an terrible feeling on the identical time.”

Harvey joined RLL final yr after he was developed at Meyer Shank Racing, which hoped to construct its program across the 30-year-old. However Harvey jumped ship for a gap within the Rahal group, and his outcomes have plummeted.

Lundgaard, who was comfortably within the subject within the thirty first spot, stated he was “gutted for Graham” when the session ended.

“It is a bittersweet feeling for the crew proper now, nevertheless it’s clear we now have to be higher to maintain from being on this place,” stated Lundgaard, who began on the pole for the street course race at Indianapolis final weekend.

“However proper now I simply really feel gutted for Graham. I appeared to have somewhat extra tempo than they did. I wasn’t too anxious about making the sphere, however we wished all three of them in and now one among them is out, and it is not what we wished.”

It is not clear whether or not Bobby Rahal will attempt to purchase out one other driver within the subject to make sure that his son and sponsors race subsequent Sunday, Could 28.