2017 Acura NSX Hot Lap with Indycar’s Graham Rahal

Driving 2017 Acura NSX on a racetrack was thrill enough. The last event of the day at the “Thermal Club” luxury motorsports raceway was life changing. We take a Hot Lap with Indycar’s Graham Rahal.

O.K., I’ll just say it! I thought I was putting NSX through its paces pretty darn well until I took a “hot Lap” with 27 year old Indycar driver Graham Rahal -- the kid’s an artist when it comes to getting the most out of a racecar.

Last weekend Graham came in second place down in Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, and most likely would have won the day -- except for an aggressive “bump” or two at close to 200 mph -- he’s that good!

Regardless, it was an exceptional race day for this second generation Indycar driver. Two weeks prior, I’d have the very rare opportunity to take a hot lap or four, with this young rising open wheel cart jockey, and frankly, he kicked my but! I discover 2017 Acura NSX hybrid supercar.

I’m pretty darn sure I caught a grin or two during the ride -- as I turned several shades of pale while -- doing everything within my capacity to hold down the morning breakfast consumed with multiple cups of coffee, just an hour or two prior to taking shotgun position in Rahal’s 2017 Red NSX lead car.

As the track heated up the 580 horsepower, torque vectoring all-wheel-drive sports hybrid got “ loose” on the track, wild!

Early that morning I’d caught Rahal on a long straightaway and positioned myself for a pass as my pro-driver copilot contemplated the long range implications of the maneuver. I’d discovered 130 mph on my best run, Rahal would surpass that speed with one hand, while explaining the finer points of finessing 2017 Acura NSX in and out of a high speed turn.