Rahal began his major racing career in 2006, finishing second in the Champ Car Atlantic championship while winning five races.[1] Rahal ran in the Champ Car Series in 2007, competing for Newman/Haas Racing.[2]
He moved up to the IndyCar Series for 2008 and won his first race, in St. Petersburg, Florida.[3] With the win, Rahal became the youngest winner in open-wheel racing.[4] He ran sixteen of the seventeen remaining races of the year.[5] In his debut Indianapolis 500, Rahal hit the wall while trying to make a pass early in the race and finished in last place.[6] A year later in St. Petersburg, Rahal became the youngest driver in open wheel history to win a pole.[7] At the end of his first full IndyCar season in 2009, he finished seventh in points.[8] For 2010, Rahal signed on for two races with Sarah Fisher Racing in the beginning of the season.[9] He also ran the Indianapolis 500 with his father's team,[10] and ran a few races with his old team, Newman/Haas Racing.[11]
In late 2010, Rahal and TBC Corporation announced a two year sponsorship deal that allowed Rahal to race for different teams.[12]
