Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is an auto racing team that currently races in the United SportsCar Championship and the IndyCar Series. Based in Hilliard, Ohio, it is co-owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former television talk show host David Letterman, and businessman Mike Lanigan.

The team was established in 1991 as Rahal-Hogan Racing, became Team Rahal in 1994, and was known as Rahal Letterman Racing from May 2004 until December 2010.

CART IndyCar World Series (1991–2003)

Following the 1991 CART season, Bobby Rahal left the Galles-Kraco Racing team. Despite consistent top finishes, Rahal actually won only two races from 1989–1991.[citation needed] Likewise, Danny Sullivan left the Patrick Racing team, following a dismal season with the Alfa Romeo engine. The two drivers essentially swapped rides. Sullivan joined Galles, and Rahal joined Patrick. By the winter of 1991, however, Patrick Racing started to collapse due to financial and legal issues regarding the Alfa Romeo engine. Rumors had surfaced that Patrick had based parts of the Alfa-Romeo engine on the Chevrolet Indycar engine.

Around December 1991,[citation needed] Rahal and new partner Carl Hogan acquired the assets of Patrick Racing. A new team was formed, known as Rahal-Hogan Racing. In 1992, the team won the IndyCar World Series title on their first try, with owner-driver Bobby Rahal driving the "tried-and-true"[citation needed] Lola-Chevrolet IndyCar.

In late 1992, Rahal-Hogan absorbed the Truesports racing team,[citation needed] which Rahal had been a part of from 1982–1988. The team moved its headquarters from Indianapolis to Hilliard, into the old Truesports facility. Along with the acquisition, they attempted to take over the two-year-old Truesports all-American chassis program.[citation needed] Rahal began the season with an updated version of the Truesports chassis, with the intention of introducing a brand-new Rahal-Hogan (R/H) chassis later in the year.[citation needed] A second-place finish at Long Beach offered some promise. The success was short-lived however, as the chassis proved uncompetitive on superspeedways. After Rahal failed to qualify at Indianapolis, the team switched to a more conventional Lola, while team driver Mike Groff attempted to salvage a season out of the R/H.[citation needed] Eventually the team abandoned the chassis project.

In 1994, Rahal–Hogan introduced the Honda HRX Indy V-8 engine to the IndyCar World Series, but split with the manufacturer after Rahal finished a disappointing tenth place in the standings.[citation needed] At Indianapolis, the engine proved uncompetitive, and Rahal risked missing the race for the second year in a row. He borrowed two Penske-Ilmor machines, and finished third in the race. In 1996, Carl Hogan left the team, and started his own racing operation.[citation needed] As a result, the team changed its name to Team Rahal and Hogan started Hogan Racing.

In early 1996,[1] Rahal's longtime friend, and avid race fan, comedian David Letterman, purchased a small share of the team.

Over the next few years, the team would employ Bryan Herta, Max Papis, Kenny Bräck, Jimmy Vasser and Michel Jourdain, Jr., getting closest to another title in 2001,[citation needed] when Bräck finished 2nd in points. Rahal himself retired from driving at the end of 1998.[citation needed]

IndyCar Series

Full-time (2004–2008)

The team changed its name again to Rahal Letterman Racing in May 2004. For the 2005 season, RLR's three drivers were Buddy Rice, who won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for the team, Vitor Meira, who finished second in the 2005 & 2008 Indianapolis 500s, and Danica Patrick, who finished fourth in the 2005 Indianapolis 500, and had the highest finish of any female driver (3 previous) in the history of the Indianapolis 500. Also in the 2005 Indianapolis 500, former team member Kenny Bräck, who was replaced by Rice when he suffered a serious injury in 2003, replaced Rice when he was injured in pre-race practice. Rice was able to recover in time to race in the next IndyCar race.

Scott Sharp in 2007
The Rahal Letterman car at Indianapolis in 2008

The Rahal Letterman team had high hopes for 2006. Meira had left the team after the 2005 season to join Panther Racing. He was replaced by Paul Dana who brought an Ethanol sponsorship.[2] The team placed three cars in the top eight for the Toyota Indy 300 during March 25, 2006, qualifying (Patrick third, Rice sixth, Dana ninth), and expected good things to come the next day for the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Unfortunately, tragedy took place during final practice Sunday morning. Vision Racing's Ed Carpenter crashed in turn two and the car slid down the 20-degree banking. Dana, who seemed to not receive the signal from the spotter,[citation needed] ran into the gearbox section of Carpenter's car, sending Dana's car flying on the backstretch. Dana died in the hospital later that afternoon, and the entire team, including Patrick and Rice, withdrew immediately.

Patrick and Rice raced together at St. Petersburg with the third car vacant out of respect, but effective the Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 at Motegi, Japan, Jeff Simmons was added as the team's third driver. In mid-2006 the team switched from Panoz to Dallara chassis. Rice finished 15th in points, Patrick finished 9th, and Simmons finished 16th.

Prior to the 2006 Monterey Sports Car Championships,[citation needed] Rahal Letterman Racing announced that the team would be fielding a Porsche 997 GT3-RSR in the American Le Mans Series in 2007.

For the 2007 IndyCar Series, RLR fielded two cars, one for Simmons and one for IndyCar veteran Scott Sharp. They were unable to find sponsorship to field a third car for 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice, who moved to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. However, after 11 races, released Simmons and picked up former Champ Car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay,[3] who earned a 7th-place finish at the Honda 200. Consistent finishes gave Ryan and the team the Rookie of the Year award despite making only six starts.

In the 2008 IndyCar Series season, RLR fielded just one car driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay. The team scored a win at the IndyCar Series event at Watkins Glen International and Hunter-Reay finished 8th in points. However at the end of the season the team's ethanol promotion council sponsorship left and it was unable to find full-time sponsorship for 2009.[4]

Part-time (2009–2011)

RLR did not participate full-time in the 2009 season due to a lack of sponsorship.[5] With the sponsorship of DAFCA they participated in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, where driver Oriol Servià, after starting on the ninth row, advanced to tenth place but completed only 98 laps before being forced to quit due to mechanical problems.[6]

In 2010, the team again failed to secure sponsorship for the full season. At the 2010 Indianapolis 500, the team arranged a one-race sponsorship entry for Graham Rahal.[7] Rahal ran in the top ten until a blocking penalty shuffled him back in the standings, and he finished 12th.[citation needed]

In December 2010, Mike Lanigan, former co-owner of Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing with Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman, became co-owner of what was renamed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.[8]

The team signed Jay Howard to drive the #88 car with Service Central sponsorship for the 2011 Indy 500. Bertrand Baguette also joined the team at the 500. Howard finished 30th after losing a wheel following a pit stop on lap 61, while Baguette would lead 11 laps late in the race before needing to pit for fuel with 3 laps to go. He would finish 7th.[9]

Full-time return (2012)

The team returned to full-time IndyCar competition for 2012, running a single Dallara-Honda for Takuma Sato. TSato achieved two podium finishes at São Paulo and Edmonton. Michel Jourdain, Jr. returned to the team in a second car for the Indianapolis 500, where Sato came close to victory, crashing out on the final lap while attempting to pass Dario Franchitti for the lead.

On April 30, 2014, the team made history with Engage Mobile Solutions when four members of the RLL team including driver Graham Rahal and three members of the pit crew wore Google Glass to show an IndyCar Series from the unique perspective of each person on the racing team.[10]

American Le Mans Series

2007 (Porsche)

In 2007, Rahal Letterman Racing fielded a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for nine of the twelve races. The team's best results came as a second-place finish at Road America and a third-place finish at Petit Le Mans. The team finished 4th in the GT2 team championship with Tommy Milner and Ralf Kelleners 6th in the drivers championship.

2009–13 (BMW)

The team returned to the series in 2009 with factory support from BMW.[11] The team fielded two E92 M3s, the #90 driven by Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen and the #92 driven by Tommy Milner and Dirk Müller. After a troubled season the #92 car finished second at the 2009 Petit Le Mans. The team finished 3rd in the team championship with Milner and Müller 4th in the drivers championship.[12][13]

In 2010 the team continued their relationship with BMW and the American Le Mans Series. Despite only winning one race at Road America, Rahal Letterman Racing won the team championship while Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner 3rd in the drivers championship.[14][15]

2011 was an even more successful year for the team. After a one-two finish at the 2011 12 Hours of Sebring the RLL Racing team would win two more races. Despite fierce competition from Corvette, Ferrari and Porsche, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing claimed the GT Teams and Manufacturers championships, While Joey Hand and Dirk Müller won the drivers championship.[16][17][18] This was the second team championship for the team with the M3.

In 2012, the team returned to the American Le Mans Series for their 4th year with the BMW M3. After winning their second 12 Hours of Sebring in a row, the team, lacking speed to the brand new Porsches and Corvettes, would win only one more race at Road America. Despite their deficit in pace, the team finished the season 2nd in the championship with driver Dirk Muller finished 4th, the highest of the BMW team drivers.[19][20]

Continuing their relationship with BMW Motorsport, the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team campaigned two brand new Z4 GTE cars, replacing the BMW M3's. Despite being their first season with the car, the team claimed several GT poles, a 1–2 victory at Long Beach and a win at Lime Rock Park. The team finished the season 2nd in the Teams' and Manufacturers' Championships behind Corvette Racing.

United SportsCar Championship

For 2014, the team continued with its Z4 GTE cars but under the newly formed Tudor United SportsCar Championship. The team would manage four second-place finishes at Daytona and Laguna Seca with the #55 car and Long Beach and Road America for the #56 car. Dirk Müller and teammate John Edwards would finish seventh in the GTLM Drivers' Championship with Bill Auberlen and teammate Andy Priaulx eighth.

CART/Champ Car drivers

Year Driver(s)
1992 United States Bobby Rahal
1993 United States Bobby Rahal United States Mike Groff
1994
1995 Brazil Raul Boesel
1996 United States Bryan Herta
1997
1998
1999 Italy Max Papis
2000 Sweden Kenny Bräck
2001
2002 United States Jimmy Vasser Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr.
2003 Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr.

IndyCar drivers

Year Full season driver(s) Indy 500 driver(s)
2002 United States Jimmy Vasser (also Fontana in 2002)
2003 Sweden Kenny Bräck
2004 United States Buddy Rice
Brazil Vitor Meira
United States Roger Yasukawa (also Motegi)
2005 United States Buddy Rice (sat out Indy 500 due to injury)
Brazil Vitor Meira
United States Danica Patrick
Sweden Kenny Bräck (replaced injured Rice)
2006 United States Buddy Rice
United States Danica Patrick
United States Paul Dana (died, see below)
United States Jeff Simmons
2007 United States Scott Sharp
United States Jeff Simmons (released July 17)
United States Ryan Hunter-Reay (signed July 17)
2008 United States Ryan Hunter-Reay United Kingdom Alex Lloyd
2009 Spain Oriol Servià
2010 United States Graham Rahal
2011 United Kingdom Jay Howard
Belgium Bertrand Baguette
2012 Japan Takuma Sato Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr.
2013 United States Graham Rahal
United Kingdom James Jakes
Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr. (Failed to qualify)
2014 United States Graham Rahal Spain Oriol Servià
2015 United States Graham Rahal Spain Oriol Servià

Racing results

CART FedEx Championship Series results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position) (results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Rahal-Hogan Racing
1992 Lola T92/00 Chevrolet 265A V8t SFR PHX LBH INDY DET POR MIL NHA TOR MCH CLE ROA VAN MDO NAZ LAG
United States Bobby Rahal 12 3 1* 2 6 1 14 2 1* 2 11 4 3 22 24 1 3
1993 RH-001 Chevrolet 265C V8t SFR PHX LBH INDY MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH NHA ROA VAN MDO NAZ LAG
United States Bobby Rahal 1 6 22 2 DNQ
Lola T93/00 4 5 4 28 4 9 7 3 2* 6 6 7
RH-001 United States Mike Groff DNQ
26 19 11 9 11
Lola T93/00 18 22
1994 Lola T94/00 Honda HRX V8t SFR PHX LBH INDY MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH MDO NHA VAN ROA NAZ LAG
United States Bobby Rahal 4 26 14 30 7 6 12 28 2 28 27 9 7 9 14 29
Penske PC-22 Ilmor 265D V8t 3
Lola T93/00
Lola T94/00
Honda HRX V8t United States Mike Groff 10 8 6 27 19 27 11 19 22 27 26 25 14 20 11 15
Penske PC-22 Ilmor 265C V8t 31
1995 Lola T95/00 Mercedes-Benz IC108B V8t MIA SFR PHX LBH NAZ INDY MIL DET POR ROA TOR CLE MCH MDO NHA VAN LAG
United States Bobby Rahal 9 3 2 21 21 6 3 13 24 3 5 2 4 8 26 10 5 7
Brazil Raul Boesel 11 6 8 6 16 10 20 11 DNS 5 22 6 20 24 20 18 10 12
Team Rahal
1996 Reynard 96i Mercedes-Benz IC108C V8t MIA RIO SFR LBH NAZ 500 MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH MDO ROA VAN LAG
United States Bobby Rahal 18 5 6 20 14 6 19 7 21 6 15 3 24 5 2 2 7
United States Bryan Herta 28 10 13 17 12 11 15 14 13 26 5 6 2 4 5 6 2
1997 Reynard 97i Ford XD V8t MIA SFR LBH NAZ RIO GAT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH MDO ROA VAN LAG FON
United States Bobby Rahal 7 16 10 10 6 10* 20 11 9 24 5 9 17 3 6 24 19 5
United States Bryan Herta 8 10 22 6 7 6 22 15 7 21 3 17 5 24 11 8 6 21
1998 Reynard 98i Ford XD V8t MIA MOT LBH NAZ RIO GAT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH MDO ROA VAN LAG HOU SFR FON
United States Bobby Rahal 7 19 17 17 6 8 8 5 11 6 8 4 7 3 8 25 16 23 25 11
United States Bryan Herta 8 8 28 3 8 4 23 11 21 3 13 5 10 25 23 22 1* 8 10 15
1999 Reynard 99i Ford XD V8t MIA MOT LBH NAZ RIO GAT MIL POR CLE ROA TOR MCH DET MDO CHI VAN LAG HOU SRF FON
Italy Max Papis 7 5 16 9 13 4 5 13 8 16 5 5 7* 26 5 4 23 3 4 2 2*
United States Bryan Herta 8 12 23 3 22 13 23 25 6 6 15 15 20 9 21 8 24 1* 5 4 14
2000 Reynard 2Ki Ford XF V8t MIA LBH RIO MOT NAZ MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH CHI MDO ROA VAN LAG GAT HOU SRF FON
Italy Max Papis 7 1 20 16 8 22 7 2 25 18 8 9 24 4 7 8 16 6 24 16 12
Sweden Kenny Bräck 8 18 17 10 5 3 4 24 6 2 10 22 4 5 3 9 5 11 15 2 13*
United States Casey Mears 91 4
2001 Lola B01/00 Ford XF V8t MTY LBH NAZ MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LAG SRF FON
Italy Max Papis 7 12 17 24 6 8 11 1* 18 8 16* 13 24 16 22 2 11 9 1 9 2*
Sweden Kenny Bräck 8 5 25 2* 1 1* 9 11 6 20 17 1 20 14 8 1* 2 7 25 5 26
2002 Lola B02/00 Ford XF V8t MTY LBH MOT MIL LAG POR CHI TOR CLE VAN MDO ROA MTL DEN ROC MIA SFR FON MEX
United States Jimmy Vasser 8 20 2 20 9 8 16 17 6 6 17 8 5 5 10 7 3 12 1* 11
Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr. 9 4 4 5 5 9 6 10 12 9 4 11 9 6 9 11 6 10 13 13
2003 Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t STP MTY LBH BRH LAU MIL LAG POR CLE TOR VAN ROA MDO MTL DEN MIA MEX SFR
Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr. 9 2 2 15* 6 3 1* 4 12 7 2 4 16 4 1 6 7 4 4

IndyCar Series results

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Team Rahal
2002 Dallara IR-02 Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS PHX FON NAZ INDY TXS PPIR RIR KAN NSH MCH KTY GAT CHI TXS
United States Jimmy Vasser 19 9 30
2003 Dallara IR-03 Honda HI3R V8 HMS PHX MOT INDY TXS PPIR RIR KAN NSH MCH GAT KTY NAZ CHI FON TXS
Sweden Kenny Bräck 15 11 5 2 16 4 7 7 5 6 18 19 19 5 21 20 16
United States Jimmy Vasser 19 26
Rahal Letterman Racing
2004 G-Force GF09B Honda HI4R V8 HMS PHX MOT INDY TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MCH KTY PPIR NAZ CHI FON TXS
United States Buddy Rice 15 7 9 6 1* 15 6 1* 6 2 1 2 22 4 14 5 20
United States Roger Yasukawa 16 11 10
Brazil Vítor Meira 17 17 6 6 2 2 12* 5 5 7 7 10 5 21 4
2005 Panoz GF09C Honda HI5R V8 HMS PHX STP MOT INDY TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MCH KTY PPIR SNM CHI WGL FON
United States Buddy Rice 15 19 22 7 3 21 11 10 18 17 22 14 11 2 13 19 12
Sweden Kenny Bräck 26
United States Danica Patrick 16 15 15 12 4 4 13 10 9 7 19 20 16 8 20 6 16 18
Brazil Vítor Meira 17 4 11 5 15 2 9 20 3 16 9 14 2 5 9 7 18 3
2006 Panoz GF09C
Dallara IR-05
Honda HI6R V8 HMS STP MOT INDY WGL TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MCH KTY SNM CHI
United States Buddy Rice 15 DNS 13 5 26 4 18 13 17 16 11 13 15 15 13
United States Danica Patrick 16 DNS 6 8 8 8 12 15 11 4 4 17 8 8 12
United States Paul Dana 17 DNS
United States Jeff Simmons 18 23 19 15 19 10 7 9 10 14 7 8
2007 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 HMS STP MOT KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO MCH KTY SNM DET CHI
United States Scott Sharp 8 12 11 6 13 6 6 7 3 8 14 7 11 3 6 14 11 5
United States Jeff Simmons 17 17 14 8 10 11 10 6 17 18 10 14
United States Ryan Hunter-Reay 7 6 15 18 18 7
2008 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 HMS STP MOT LBH KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO EDM KTY SNM DET CHI SRF1
United Kingdom Alex Lloyd 16 25
United States Ryan Hunter-Reay 17 7 17 7 18 6 15 20 8 16 1 19 10 8 9 18 6 9 3
2009 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 STP LBH KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL TOR EDM KTY MDO SNM CHI MOT HMS
Spain Oriol Servià 17 26
2010 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 SAO STP ALA LBH KAN INDY TXS IOW WGL TOR EDM MDO SNM CHI KTY MOT HMS
United States Graham Rahal 30 12
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
2011 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 STP ALA LBH SAO INDY TXS MIL IOW TOR EDM MDO NHM SNM BAL MOT KTY LSV
United Kingdom Jay Howard 15 C
Belgium Bertrand Baguette 30 7
United Kingdom Pippa Mann DNS 22 C
2012 Dallara DW12 Honda HI12TT V6t STP ALA LBH SAO INDY DET TEX MIL IOW TOR EDM MDO SNM BAL FON
Japan Takuma Sato 15 22 24 8 3 17 20 22 20 12 9 2 13 27 21 7
Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr. 30 19
2013 Dallara DW12 Honda HI13TT V6t STP ALA LBH SAO INDY DET TXS MIL IOW POC TOR MDO SNM BAL HOU FON
United States Graham Rahal 15 13 21 2 22 25 9 9 21 16 5 18 20 13 18 11 17 7 18 15
United Kingdom James Jakes 16 15 23 12 17 20 10 2 12 18 18 12 12 23 13 25 23 6 17 22
United Kingdom Mike Conway 17 25
Mexico Michel Jourdain, Jr. DNQ
2014 Dallara DW12 Honda HI14TT V6t STP LBH ALA IMS INDY DET TXS HOU POC IOW TOR MDO MIL SNM FON
United States Graham Rahal 15 14 13 17 21 33 2 21 12 11 16 19 7 6 20 5 14 20 18
Spain Oriol Servià 16 7 20 12 11
Italy Luca Filippi 21 15 22 16
2015 Dallara DW12 Honda HI15TT V6t STP NOL LBH ALA IMS INDY DET TXS TOR FON MIL IOW MDO POC SNM
United States Graham Rahal 15 11 8 11 2 2 5 23 3 15 9 1 3 4 1* 20 18
Spain Oriol Servià 32 29
2016 Dallara DW12 Honda HI16TT V6t STP PHX LBH ALA IMS INDY DET TXS ROA IOW TOR MDO POC WGL SNM
United States Graham Rahal 15 16 5 15 2 4 14
United States Spencer Pigot 16 14 11 25
1 Non-points-paying, exhibition race.

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Remy to Sponsor Paul Dana in the Ethanol Hemelgarn Indy Racing League Entry, PRNewswire, February 24, 2005
  3. Indycar's Simmons Replaced, Hartford Courant July 20, 2007, Retrieved 2011-1-17
  4. Tuttle, Tim. Hunter-Reay finds stability in second season with Andretti, Sports Illustrated, January 13, 2011, Retrieved 2011-1-17
  5. In troubled economy, IndyCar racing searches for right road, a May 2009 Indianapolis Star article published in USA Today
  6. Servia Charge Too Good To Be True, a May 24, 2009 team report from paddocktalk.com
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. IndyCar: Lanigan joins Rahal-Letterman team, a December 17, 2010 article from AutoWeek
  9. Dan Wheldon gets stunning Indy win, a May 30, 2011 article from the "Associated Press"
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. BMW, M3 Returning To American Le Mans Series With Rahal Letterman, IMSA Press Release, February 6, 2008
  12. 2009 Team Championship Results
  13. 2009 Drivers Championship Results
  14. 2010 ALMS Teams' Championship Results 2010
  15. 2010 ALMS Drivers' Championship Results 2010
  16. 2011 ALMS Teams Championship Results 2011
  17. 2011 ALMS Drivers Championship Results 2011
  18. 2011 ALMS Manufacturers Championship Results 2011
  19. 2012 ALMS Teams Championship Results 2012
  20. 2012 ALMS Drivers Championship Results 2012

External links