Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
109th Running of the Indianapolis 500
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
RACE DAY NOTES / QUOTES – May 25, 2025
SATO LED 51 OF THE FIRST 86 LAPS IN THE INDY 500 BEFORE A PIT ERROR LIMITED HIM TO AN 11TH PLACE FINISH; DEFRANCESCO LED 17 LAPS AND FINISHED 14TH WHILE FOSTER AND RAHAL FINISHED 15TH AND 20TH
GRAHAM RAHAL, No. 15 United Rentals Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was the finish, I suppose, that was predicted based on the way the rest of the month had gone, which is disappointing. I just felt like I wasn’t really in the hunt today until too late. I think we got the car much better as the race went on, but it was the last two stints. The early stints when we went a lap down, just put us in a hole and ruined our race so it’s disappointing.”
- FAST FACTS: Struggled with the speed of his race car and ultimately finished 20th. He qualified 30th for his 18th Indy 500 and started 28th due to two Team Penske cars being penalized. His best qualifying position in the Indy 500 is fourth in 2009 with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing and best finish is third with Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing in 2011 and RLL in 2020. Was bumped in qualifying for the 2023 Indy 500 by then-teammate Harvey but competed in the race as a replacement for the injured Stefan Wilson and finished 22nd after mechanical issues on the starting grid. Detailed Indy 500 information available upon request… Has SIX INDYCAR SERIES wins (2008 – St. Pete street course; 2015 – Fontana Super Speedway, Mid-Ohio road course; 2016 – Texas Super Speedway; 2017 Detroit Race 1, Detroit Race 2) and FIVE poles (2009 – St. Pete street course, Kansas oval; 2017 – Detroit Race 1 street; 2023 – IMS road, Portland) and his highest series season-ending standing is fourth place in 2015… He is 15th in INDYCAR SERIES point standings with 102.
DEVLIN DEFRANCESCO, No. 30 Dogecoin Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “Overall performance wise, it was a good performance by everybody. The No. 30 Dogecoin Honda was ridiculously quick. We took a swing to win the thing on Lap 105 and didn’t take the yellow (to pit), it was from the lead and that’s effectively what put a stinker on our day. I really think we had a car to win today. There was no one we couldn’t run with, couldn’t hang with, and couldn’t pass. We had a real strong car so it’s frustrating for it to end that way, but we regroup, and we go to Detroit.”
- FAST FACTS: He led 17 laps, but his pit strategy didn’t play out after he earned his top Indy 500 qualifying position of 18th for his third Indy 500 and started 16th after two Team Penske cars were penalized. His previous best Indy 500 start is 24th in 2022 and his best finish is 13th in 2024. After one year away from the series, DeFrancesco matched his best INDYCAR start of fifth place in the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix at the previous race – for his -second fifth place start on the IMS road course after also starting fifth here in 2023. He is ranked 25th in the INDYCAR SERIES point standings with 61 points.
LOUIS FOSTER, No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I think it was a good race. I was the top rookie and finished 15th for my debut 500 so I can’t not be happy with that. I definitely think we had a car to be inside the top 10 today if it weren’t for the drive through penalties. We’ll just put those down to rookie issues. I just misjudged my brake zone on the first one and on the second one, we had an issue with the pit speed limiter. I seem to have sped midway down pit lane and I’m not sure how that’s possible. But as I said, it’s P15 and we were the top rookie; I’m happy. We go home with all four cars and some good results.”
- FAST FACTS: He was penalized two times for speeding in the pits and ultimately finished 15th. He qualified 22nd for his first Indy 500 but started 20th after two Team Penske cars were penalized. His best series start to date is third at the previous race – the Sonsio Grand Prix and his best finish is 11th – also at the Sonsio GP… He is ranked in 23rd place in the point standings with 64.
TAKUMA SATO, No. 75 AMADA Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was pretty much down to me, my mistake. I simply couldn’t stop in the box. I need to analyze that a little bit to understand. Obviously, everyone struggled on the cold tires, but it was the same conditions for everyone. It was my mistake, I messed up. The 75 crew did an amazing job and unbelievable, meticulous work from the team. Not only the last three weeks, but also over the course of the winter. Everyone worked so hard to put the car on the front row and we led the race most of the time until that point. It’s a real pity but huge congrats to Chip Ganassi Racing and Alex.”
- FAST FACTS: He led 51 laps before his third pit stop on Lap 86 but slid approx. 6 feet long in his pit box which led to a delay, and he lost more than 10 spots. He regained some positions and ultimately finished 11th. The two-time Indy 500 champion earned his top starting spot of second place for his 16th Indy 500 in 2025. He started 10th for his 15th Indy 500 in 2024 and sixth with the team and finished 14th. He competed for RLL full time in 2012 and from 2018-2021 and won the Indy 500 with RLL in 2020 after starting on the front row for the first time in third. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020. Prior to that, Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023. Other Indy 500 highlights with RLL include 2012 where he was alongside eventual winner Franchitti in Turn 1 on the final lap but his race ended due to contact after he was squeezed down on the apron and lost control of his race car. He also finished third for RLL in 2019 and was a contender in he final laps… Has SIX INDYCAR SERIES wins (2013 – Long Beach street course, 2017 – Indy 500 oval, 2018 – Portland road, 2019 – Barber road, Gateway oval; 2020 Indy 500 ) and 10 poles (2011 Iowa oval, Edmonton street; 2013 Houston Race 1 street; 2014 St. Pete street, Detroit Race 2 street; 2017 Detroit Race 2, Pocono oval; 2019 Barber road, Texas oval; 2020 St. Louis – Race 2).
NEXT UP: The series will return to action next weekend for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.