# 2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

The 2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg was the second round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season and took place on April 6, 2008 at the 1.8-mile (2.9 km) temporary street and airport circuit on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The race was a time-limited race due to rain, with the race falling some seventeen laps short of full race distance. The race was won by Graham Rahal on his IndyCar Series debut, having missed the first round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, due to a lack of spare parts for his #06 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing machine.
At 19 years, 93 days old, Rahal became the youngest driver ever to win an Indy-style race, as well as the youngest winner in IndyCar Series history breaking Marco Andretti's record of 19 years, 167 days from the 2006 IndyCar Series season. He also became the fourth driver to win an IndyCar Series race in his first start, joining Buzz Calkins, Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Dixon.

## Qualifying

* All cars are split into two groups of thirteen, with the fastest six from each group going through to the "Top 12" session. In this session, the fastest six runners will progress to the "Firestone Fast Six". The fastest driver in this final session will claim pole, with the rest of the runners lining up in session order, regardless of qualifying times. (Fast Six from 1-6, Top 12 from 7-12 and Round 1 from 13-26) Drivers can use as many laps as they want in the timed sessions.

### Round 1
#### Group 1

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 8 | Will Power (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.6560 | 103.422 |
| 2 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 1:02.7752 | 103.225 |
| 3 | 06 | Graham Rahal (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.9581 | 102.926 |
| 4 | 34 | Franck Perera (R) | Conquest Racing | 1:03.1453 | 102.620 |
| 5 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 1:03.1822 | 102.561 |
| 6 | 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing | 1:03.1923 | 102.544 |
| 7 | 27 | Hideki Mutoh (R) | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.2757 | 102.409 |
| 8 | 36 | Enrique Bernoldi (R) | Conquest Racing | 1:03.4568 | 102.117 |
| 9 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.5766 | 101.924 |
| 10 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | Vision Racing | 1:03.8007 | 101.566 |
| 11 | 19 | Mario Moraes (R) | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:04.1590 | 100.999 |
| 12 | 23 | Townsend Bell | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 1:04.3880 | 100.640 |
| 13 | 25 | Marty Roth | Roth Racing | 1:07.7041 | 95.711 |

#### Group 2

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 02 | Justin Wilson (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.7341 | 103.293 |
| 2 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Penske Racing | 1:02.8910 | 103.035 |
| 3 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.0131 | 102.836 |
| 4 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Penske Racing | 1:03.1560 | 102.603 |
| 5 | 5 | Oriol Servià (R) | KV Racing | 1:03.1653 | 102.588 |
| 6 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:03.2095 | 102.516 |
| 7 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:03.2365 | 102.472 |
| 8 | 33 | E. J. Viso (R) | HVM Racing | 1:03.3067 | 102.359 |
| 9 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 1:03.3591 | 102.274 |
| 10 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 1:03.4480 | 102.131 |
| 11 | 24 | Jay Howard (R) | Roth Racing | 1:03.7447 | 101.656 |
| 12 | 2 | A. J. Foyt IV | Vision Racing | 1:04.4996 | 100.466 |
| 13 | 18 | Bruno Junqueira | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:09.3851 | 93.392 |

### Round 2 (Top 12)

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 8 | Will Power (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.1355 | 104.288 |
| 2 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 1:02.4960 | 103.687 |
| 3 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Penske Racing | 1:02.5031 | 103.675 |
| 4 | 02 | Justin Wilson (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.5393 | 103.615 |
| 5 | 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing | 1:02.6864 | 103.372 |
| 6 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Penske Racing | 1:02.6869 | 103.371 |
| 7 | 5 | Oriol Servià (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.7427 | 103.279 |
| 8 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:02.7964 | 103.191 |
| 9 | 06 | Graham Rahal (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.8122 | 103.165 |
| 10 | 34 | Franck Perera (R) | Conquest Racing | 1:02.8749 | 103.062 |
| 11 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 1:03.0136 | 102.835 |
| 12 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.2443 | 102.460 |

### Round 3 (Firestone Fast Six)

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 1:02.5322 | 103.627 |
| 2 | 8 | Will Power (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.6096 | 103.499 |
| 3 | 02 | Justin Wilson (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.6426 | 103.444 |
| 4 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Penske Racing | 1:02.6462 | 103.438 |
| 5 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Penske Racing | 1:02.7071 | 103.338 |
| 6 | 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing | 1:03.0077 | 102.845 |

### Grid

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 1:02.5322 | 103.627 |
| 2 | 8 | Will Power (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.6096 | 103.499 |
| 3 | 02 | Justin Wilson (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.6426 | 103.444 |
| 4 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Penske Racing | 1:02.6462 | 103.438 |
| 5 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Penske Racing | 1:02.7071 | 103.338 |
| 6 | 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing | 1:03.0077 | 102.845 |
| 7 | 5 | Oriol Servià (R) | KV Racing | 1:02.7427 | 103.279 |
| 8 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:02.7964 | 103.191 |
| 9 | 06 | Graham Rahal (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 1:02.8122 | 103.165 |
| 10 | 34 | Franck Perera (R) | Conquest Racing | 1:02.8749 | 103.062 |
| 11 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 1:03.0136 | 102.835 |
| 12 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.2443 | 102.460 |
| 13 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:03.2365 | 102.472 |
| 14 | 27 | Hideki Mutoh (R) | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.2757 | 102.409 |
| 15 | 33 | E. J. Viso (R) | HVM Racing | 1:03.3067 | 102.359 |
| 16 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 1:03.3591 | 102.274 |
| 17 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 1:03.4480 | 102.131 |
| 18 | 36 | Enrique Bernoldi (R) | Conquest Racing | 1:03.4568 | 102.117 |
| 19 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 1:03.5766 | 101.924 |
| 20 | 24 | Jay Howard (R) | Roth Racing | 1:03.7447 | 101.656 |
| 21 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | Vision Racing | 1:03.8007 | 101.566 |
| 22 | 19 | Mario Moraes (R) | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:04.1590 | 100.999 |
| 23 | 23 | Townsend Bell | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 1:04.3880 | 100.640 |
| 24 | 2 | A. J. Foyt IV | Vision Racing | 1:04.4996 | 100.466 |
| 25 | 25 | Marty Roth | Roth Racing | 1:07.7041 | 95.711 |
| 26 | 18 | Bruno Junqueira | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:09.3851 | 93.392 |
* Before the race, Marty Roth had a problem with his car and did not start. Bruno Junqueira therefore moved up to 25th on the grid.

## Race

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Laps Led | Points |
| 1 | 06 | Graham Rahal (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 83 | 2:00:43.5562 | 9 | 19 | 53 |
| 2 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Penske Racing | 83 | +3.5192 | 4 | 0 | 40 |
| 3 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 83 | +5.5134 | 1 | 15 | 35 |
| 4 | 33 | E. J. Viso (R) | HVM Racing | 83 | +8.8575 | 15 | 12 | 32 |
| 5 | 36 | Enrique Bernoldi (R) | Conquest Racing | 83 | +9.6360 | 18 | 3 | 30 |
| 6 | 27 | Hideki Mutoh (R) | Andretti Green Racing | 83 | +10.0071 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
| 7 | 5 | Oriol Servià (R) | KV Racing | 83 | +11.2871 | 7 | 0 | 26 |
| 8 | 8 | Will Power (R) | KV Racing | 83 | +12.8493 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| 9 | 02 | Justin Wilson (R) | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing | 83 | +14.3598 | 3 | 18 | 22 |
| 10 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 83 | +16.7298 | 19 | 0 | 20 |
| 11 | 2 | A. J. Foyt IV | Vision Racing | 83 | +20.8319 | 24 | 0 | 19 |
| 12 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Target Chip Ganassi | 83 | +24.7800 | 8 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 83 | +45.8601 | 11 | 0 | 17 |
| 14 | 24 | Jay Howard (R) | Roth Racing | 82 | +1 Lap | 20 | 0 | 16 |
| 15 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 82 | +1 Lap | 16 | 0 | 15 |
| 16 | 19 | Mario Moraes (R) | Dale Coyne Racing | 82 | +1 Lap | 22 | 0 | 14 |
| 17 | 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing | 81 | +2 Laps | 6 | 4 | 13 |
| 18 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | Vision Racing | 80 | Accident | 21 | 0 | 12 |
| 19 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 75 | Collision | 17 | 1 | 12 |
| 20 | 34 | Franck Perera (R) | Conquest Racing | 75 | Collision | 10 | 0 | 12 |
| 21 | 23 | Townsend Bell | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 75 | Collision | 23 | 0 | 12 |
| 22 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Target Chip Ganassi | 74 | Mechanical | 13 | 0 | 12 |
| 23 | 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Penske Racing | 56 | Accident | 5 | 11 | 12 |
| 24 | 18 | Bruno Junqueira | Dale Coyne Racing | 44 | Mechanical | 25 | 0 | 12 |
| 25 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 41 | Mechanical | 12 | 0 | 10 |
| DNS | 25 | Marty Roth | Roth Racing | 0 | | 26 | 0 | 5 |