IZOD Indy 500: Bobby & Graham Rahal Unite For Historic Effort

Graham Rahal driving for Sarah Fisher Racing at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

IZOD Indy 500: Bobby & Graham Rahal Unite For Historic Effort

It was announced today that Graham Rahal will drive the No. 30 Dallara/Honda fielded by his father, Bobby Rahal, in a one-race deal for the 94th edition of the Indianapolis 500 with Rahal Letterman Racing. The sponsor is expected to be announced sometime before the first practice session on May 16, 2010.

There have been generations from famous racing families before, but most felt that this came as a surprise given that Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame honoree, Bobby Rahal was on record saying that he wanted his son to be able to make a name for himself out from under his, Bobby's, shadow.

Graham has won in the IRL (St. Pete, 2008, as the youngest ever driver to win a IZOD IndyCar Series race) and had some good history with Newman Haas in ChampCar so it was felt the time was right for the Rahal generations to mount an effort of their own.

Given that Graham has been mostly caught out in the shuffle this season, Rahal drove in three of the first four IndyCar Series races for Sarah Fisher Racing, but does not have a full-time ride with any team for the season. So he now has a one-race opportunity to start and hopefully finish his first Indy 500 - Rahal has failed to finish in two previous Indy 500 starts.

Graham Rahal shares a moment of ChampCar camaraderie with IZOD IndyCar Series points leader and, Will Power - Penske Racing, and fellow CCWS transition driver Alex Tagliani - FAZZT Racing at Barber Motorsports Park. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2010)

This excerpted and edited from USA Today -

Graham Rahal reaches deal for father-son effort in Indy 500
By Gary Graves, USA TODAY

After previously saying he wanted his son to drive for another team to establish his own identity, Bobby Rahal said Tuesday that the timing was right for the generational merger at the Brickyard.

"I think he has proven he belongs and I'm thrilled to have him," said the three-time CART champion, referring to his son's historic 2008 St. Petersburg victory that made him open-wheel racing's youngest winner at 19 years, 93 days.

"It's flattering when your child wants to do what you do, even better when he wants to do it for you."

"I've made my mistakes there [INDY]," Graham Rahal said. "The main thing is to get to the checkered flag."
Reference Here>>

Knowing the competitive nature of Bobby Rahal ... he will bring the best equipment and engineers for this first time effort put forth by the Rahal family. Graham could come in as a dark horse winner given that Bobby, as a team owner (2004) and a driver (1986), has captured wins at the Brickyard and drank (worn) the quart bottle of milk!

The 94th Indianapolis 500 will take place Sunday, May 30th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ET - broadcast on ABC

... notes from The EDJE

Silly Season Nets Another Victim – Rahal Letterman Racing Out Of IRL

RLR On The Hook For 2009 IRL Season - Rahal Letterman Racing’s Dallara of Ryan Hunter-Reay after the accident in turn three at Indy 2008. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Silly Season Nets Another Victim – Rahal Letterman Racing Out Of IRL

Rahal Letterman Racing has pulled out of the 2009 IndyCar Series because it cannot find a sponsor to support its program.

This action represents what has been a trend in the field of all motorsports where the depressive effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and its expansive economic downturn have prompted team mergers, layoffs, and outright cancellation of a team’s racing effort. Major corporations are trimming their advertising and sponsorship budgets much to the demise in the growth of all forms of motorsports.

American driver Ryan Hunter-Reay drove for RLR last season and won the race last July at Watkins Glen.

Spokesmen for Rahal Letterman Racing say it will continue to seek sponsorship as well as concentrate on its sports car alliance with BMW in the American Le Mans Series.

RLR Team Members Out Of Work For IRL 2009 Season - Rahal Letterman Racing team members at work Indy 2008. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

This excerpted and edited from The Columbus Dispatch –

Rahal Letterman Racing won't be in IRL this year
By Tim May, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH - Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:59 AM

Hilliard's Rahal Letterman Racing team -- winner of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 -- likely won't stage an Indy Racing League effort for the 2009 season, general manager Scott Roembke said today, but it's not as if the team is shutting its doors.

The team will foot a full-season effort in the GT division of the American LeMans Series carrying the BMW banner. It just finished three days of extensive preseason testing in Sebring, Fla.
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At the moment, though, the team, whose primary owner is three-time IndyCar series champ Bobby Rahal, has no sponsor for an IRL effort. Its primary sponsor from a year ago, Ethanol, pulled its support in the wake of the recession economy and efforts to land a replacement leading up to the April 5 season opener have been fruitless, Roembke said.

"At this time, we will not be in the IRL for 2009," Roembke said this morning. "But we continue to pursue sponsors for the IRL season and for the Indianapolis 500."
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Rahal Letterman won the 2004 Indy 500 with driver Buddy Rice, and ushered Danica Patrick into the IRL in 2005, during which she was the Indy 500 rookie of the year. She jumped to the Andretti Green Racing team in 2007.
Reference Here>>

UPDATE:

Rahal Letterman Down But Not Totally Out - YET

This excerpted and edited from autosport.com -

Rahal still working on 2009 funding
By Matt Beer, autosport.com - Thursday, January 29th 2009, 21:07 GMT

Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal says his team should not be counted out of the 2009 IndyCar Series despite suggestions that they would have to withdraw from the championship due to a lack of sponsorship.
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"As I said in the quote from the story, as of this time we do not have any sponsorship that will allow us to compete in the IRL in 2009, but by no means does that mean that we are giving up," Rahal said.

"We are continuing to search for sponsorship to run the 2009 season and to run in the Indianapolis 500 and we feel that there is still time for us to put something together that will allow that to happen."

RLR's Indy Lights programme in conjunction with Andersen Racing is already confirmed for 2009.
Reference Here>>

... notes from The EDJE