Harvey beat Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team-mate Rahal to the 33rd and last spot on the beginning grid throughout the final run of last-chance qualifying on Sunday.
Referring to The Starvation Video games collection of novels and films, during which contestants battle to the demise, Harvey bemoaned the group’s normal lack of pace throughout the week of operating at Indy.
It led to 3 of its vehicles going head-to-head with Dale Coyne Racing’s rookie Sting Ray Robb for the ultimate row on the grid, with one being eradicated.
“There’s plenty of feelings,” stated Harvey. “Like massively grateful to be within the race, massively unhappy that we bumped out a team-mate as a result of I do know what meaning for your complete group.
“It isn’t an excellent feeling, to be sincere with you. It isn’t a second essentially for celebration. As a group we’ll be beginning thirtieth, thirty first and thirty third, and I hated it in the present day, felt like we had been in The Starvation Video games with our personal group.
“After I have a look at the pace that [the qualifying frontrunners] can do, we’re comfortably 5 miles an hour off. There’s an infinite quantity of labor to try to do, in reality, and determine it out. For anybody who thinks we’re leaping up and down celebrating, they’re slightly bit mistaken in the present day.”
Harvey solely beat Rahal’s four-lap common pace on his third try, and even required a few sluggish laps earlier than his last effort to chill his Honda engine. Rahal had suffered a problem together with his weightjacker, and was unable to regulate the rake of his automotive on his run to cut back drag in a straight line.
Harvey stated: “We had performed two makes an attempt, neither of them was to be sufficient to get it performed, and really on the ultimate one, I stated to the fellows, ‘Do you even assume we are able to do that? The automotive is sizzling, engine is sizzling’, and so they stated, ‘Yeah, you have to strive – it is the Indy 500’.
“In that second I simply tried to neglect about every thing else for a second. It is unbelievable reduction. I’ve obtained to be sincere with you. It is truly fairly laborious to course of it.”
Within the aftermath of Rahal’s elimination from the race – mirroring what occurred to his father Bobby right here 30 years in the past – it ends his run of consecutive Indy 500 begins that stretches again to 2008.
Graham has twice completed third, in 2011 and 2020, and was a frontrunner in ’21 earlier than shedding a wheel after a bungled pitstop and crashing out.
“Clearly, you might have an expert aspect and you’ve got a private aspect,” stated Harvey. “I believe, professionally, Graham is without doubt one of the most underrated drivers on the grid. I believe he by no means actually will get the respect he deserves. He is a implausible group participant. He is an excellent man.
“On the non-public aspect, Graham is a really shut pal of mine. The man texts after I’ve obtained points or I would like his recommendation or need to choose his mind on one thing. Not enjoyable, primarily not solely knocking out a group automotive however certainly one of your mates on the identical breath.
“Clearly, me and him chatted about it. We type of felt like it will be me or him that will get knocked out, and clearly everybody is aware of it isn’t private. He needs to be within the race, I need to be within the race.
“I simply stated to him, I simply needed to do one of the best 4 laps I may. I am sorry it is bumped you out.”