The 34-year-old Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver started on a set of softer alternate tyres and jumped out to lead the opening 21 tours of the 110-lap contest as he sought a first win since Detroit 2017.
Rahal pitted on lap 22, pushing one lap farther than any other driver that began on the same tyre strategy, but was plagued by traffic during his out-lap and fell to fourth once the field cycled through their stops.
