Courtney Force reacts to husband Graham Rahal channelling her father John Force's NHRA skill in IndyCar race

AUTO: MAY 28 IndyCar - The 106th Indianapolis 500 Drivers Meeting - Source: Getty
Graham Rahal with his wife Courtney ad daughters at the 106th Indianapolis 500 Drivers Meeting - Source: Getty

Graham Rahal made the highlight reel at IndyCar's inaugural Thermal Club Grand Prix on Sunday (March 23) with an unusual overtake. Coming out of the pits after his first stop in lap 14, the veteran driver sped his way onto the circuit and past Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin.

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This caught everybody by surprise as FOX commentator Townsend Bell compared Rahal's straight-line move to those that his father-in-law John Force, an NHRA legend with 16 championships, did in the drag racing circuit.

"Graham Rahal firing like he is his father-in-law, John Force, on the drag strip," Bell animatedly said on the live broadcast.

IndyCar shared a video of the moment on Instagram in collaboration with Graham Rahal and the Thermal Club GP account. The caption on the reel read:

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"Sendin' it right out of the pits"
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Rahal's wife, Courtney Force, reshared the post on her Instagram story and encapsulated her reaction in one emoji:

"🫣"
A snapshot of Courtney Force's Instagram story (@courtneyforce)
A snapshot of Courtney Force's Instagram story (@courtneyforce)

Courtney, the youngest daughter of John Force, is a retired drag racer and holds the record for most Funny Car wins by a female driver. Her sister Ashley held the record before Courtney surpassed her in 2014. She tied the knot with Graham Rahal in November 2015.

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While her husband raced at IndyCar's Thermal Club race on Sunday, Courtney's other sister, Brittany Force, competed in the NHRA race in Arizona.


Graham Rahal shares encouraging message after making a comeback at the Thermal Club IndyCar GP

INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Day 2 - Source: Getty
INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Day 2 - Source: Getty

Graham Rahal drives for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing IndyCar team co-owned by his father Bobby Rahal. The 36-year-old is the team's most experienced driver and has been racing like it this season.

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At the most recent Thermal Club IndyCar GP, Rahal had a tough qualifying session on Saturday. He couldn't get out of Round 1 and started the race 18th on the grid. On Sunday, he overcame extreme tire degradation, low-grip circuit and scorching heat in the desert to climb seven places for a P11 finish.

After the race, he shared his feelings about the race weekend via an Instagram post. The caption to it read:

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"+7 to end the day P11. Gave it all we had! Just need to tidy up Saturday a bit and we’ll be in the fight. See ya in Long Beach!"
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Rahal's result earned him 19 points and was an improvement on his P12 finish at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 2, which gave him 18 points.

The No. 15 Honda driver will be seen in action next at the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend from April 11 to 13. It is not a track where he has fared well in the recent past.

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Edited by Luke Koshi
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