"It becomes pretty difficult": When Graham Rahal discussed balancing life with partner Courtney Force amid NHRA and IndyCar demands

IndyCar star Graham Rahal once reflected on the difficulties of managing a work-life balance with his wife and former NHRA racer Courtney Force. Force has been married to Rahal since 2015.

Second-generation IndyCar driver Graham Rahal has been a prominent figure in the American open-wheel racing scene. A six-time IndyCar race winner, Rahal has a racing legacy that also runs back to his father, Bobby Rahal, who is a former Indy 500 winner and a team owner.

Beyond the racetrack, Rahal is also known for his marriage to Courtney Force-Rahal. Courtney, the youngest daughter of 16-time NHRA World Funny Car champion John Force, is also a former drag racer. Together, they represent one of the rare motorsports power couples, but their demanding careers often kept them apart during racing seasons.

In an interview with Autoweek back in 2018, Graham Rahal, who was at Daytona International Speedway preparing for the IMSA Rolex 24, revealed that the biggest challenge continues to be the time he and his wife spend apart. However, during the season he still ensures that he watches his wife race as often as he can. He said:

"I would say the biggest thing is, it requires a tremendous amount of time on the road. and it’s got it’s goods and bads certainly. I try to always pay as much attention and attend as many races as I can, but it becomes pretty difficult."

Graham and Courtney met on social media and the IndyCar driver shared the story during an interview in 2016.

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Tracing Graham Rahal and Courtney Force's relationship history

The couple’s story began on social media, over a decade ago. In an interview with IndyCar.com back in 2016, Graham Rahal revealed:

"One day, I was scrolling through Twitter, and her name popped up. She had followed me, but I hadn’t followed her, so I clicked ‘Follow.’ A couple months later, I get a direct message from her on Twitter that says, ‘Hey, I’m in Indy. Where’s a good place to go out for a drink?’"

Once he responded, Rahal then revealed:

“Four seconds later – maybe five, maximum – I get a text: ‘Do you want to come with us?’”

Their first official date came months later, during the 2013 Verizon IndyCar Series finale in Fontana, California. Sparks flew, and soon after, the pair confirmed their relationship. By November 2014, after a whirlwind courtship, Rahal proposed to Force during a romantic trip to Venice, Italy. The couple tied the knot in 2015 at the picturesque Dos Pueblos Ranch near Santa Barbara, California.

Courtney Force announced her retirement from NHRA racing in 2019, shifting her focus to family life. The couple welcomed their first child, Harlan Ann Rahal, in November 2020, and their second child, Tinley Leighton Rahal, in 2022.