Odd Trip for Rahal, Honda

The joint win by Bobby Rahal and Honda in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 was quite a contrast with their association 10 years ago.

At that time, Rahal was the factory team in Honda’s first venture into Indy car racing. He and Mike Groff had Honda-powered Lolas for the 500, which they qualified with speeds of 220.178 and 218.808 mph. However, as it began to appear that both might be bumped from the 33-car field, Rahal decided to lease Penske-Ilmore cars just in case.

Before they were bumped, Rahal decided to make a shift anyway and withdrew the qualified Hondas and he and Groff put the Ilmore-powered Penskes in the race. Rahal finished fourth.

Although Rahal continued to campaign the Hondas the remainder of the season, he and the Japanese manufacturer parted company at the end of the year with little regard for one another. Rahal said the reason he shifted gears was that he had failed to qualify in 1993 and if he failed a second year, it could have meant losing Miller, his primary sponsor.

“I don’t think [co-owner] Carl [Hogan] or I felt comfortable at going to Miller and saying, ‘Sorry guys, but our Honda program is not working like we thought, and we’re going to miss this race too.’ �

But, as Rahal has said, a lot of water has gone under the bridge in the meantime.

“No one has to point out the irony of where we were 10 years ago and where we are today, particularly with our relationship with Honda,� Rahal said after Buddy Rice won the 500. “Ten years ago, I worked hard to try to help bring Honda into Indy car racing, and under very difficult circumstances, I had to make a decision to leave them.

“And then I had to sit back and watch everybody else enjoy the spoils. And then for me today, to bring Honda their first pole position at Indianapolis and their first victory, I’m just too proud of that. And I’m thankful to them for bringing me back into the fold, allowing us the opportunity again, because frankly I never thought that would happen.�

*

The only previous 500s interrupted and restarted on the same day after a rain delay were the 1926 and 2001 races.

The 1926 race was halted on Lap 71 and was declared official when rain again stopped the race on Lap 160, at the 400-mile mark, with Frank Lockhart declared the winner. The 2001 race was red-flagged on Lap 155 because of rain and resumed after a delay of 16 minutes 34 seconds. It went the full 500 miles with Helio Castroneves winning.

*

Robby Gordon’s attempt to do the double -- running the Indianapolis 500 and then NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, N.C. -- turned into an exercise in frustration.

Gordon began the day knowing that timing would be everything, then got off schedule with a two-hour rain delay of the start of the 500.

Still, he was game. When the race finally started he was in his Dallara-Chevrolet, passed eight cars on the first lap and was running 11th when more rain interrupted the race after 27 laps.

By then, designated relief driver Jaques Lazier had reported to Gordon’s pit and Gordon left by helicopter for Indianapolis International Airport and a private flight to Charlotte.

When the 500 was resumed, Lazier promptly lost all the ground Gordon had gained, fell far back in the pack and eventually quit the race when the car broke an axle.

Meanwhile in Charlotte, Gordon finished 20th in the Chevy Monte Carlo he drives for Richard Childress.

*

Four-time winner A.J. Foyt on grandson A.J. Foyt IV’s crash on the 11th lap:

“He just run out of brains today.�