Bobby Rahal was a successful driver in the 1980s and in 1992, he bought the remnants of Patrick Racing to start his own team together with Carl Hogan.
Immediate Success in the First Year
In its first year, Rahal-Hogan Racing, with Rahal himself at the wheel, wins the CART championship and also takes over Truesports. After a second place in Long Beach in 1993, the team fades from the top three. Problems with their own chassis and various engine deals create a lot of headaches. In 1996, Carl Hogan leaves the team and continues as Hogan Racing. David Letterman buys a small stake in Rahal Racing, and Rahal races for two more years before retiring in 1998, handing over the reins to other drivers.
Years of Mixed Success
Rahal never wins the CART title again, but in 2001 comes very close with Kenny Bräck finishing second in the overall standings. In 2004, the team, now known as Rahal Letterman Racing, joins the IndyCar Series and wins the Indy 500 with Buddy Rice. In 2005, they finish second at Indy with Vitor Meira and fourth with Danica Patrick, the highest finish ever for a female driver at Indy. 2006 starts promisingly but tragically as Paul Dana dies during the warm-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is not until 2008 that the team finds success again, with Ryan Hunter-Reay winning at Watkins Glen.
Limited Participation and Return to Full-time
From 2009, the team only competes in the Indy 500, finishing seventh with Bertrand Baguette in 2011. In 2012, the team has full sponsorship again for an entire season and races with Takuma Sato. Michel Jourdain Jr. drives the Indianapolis 500 for the team, and a deal is announced with Luca Filippi, who was set to drive for the team for the rest of the season after the Indianapolis 500. However, the deal falls through at the last moment.
The Rise of Graham Rahal
In 2013, Graham Rahal, the son of Bobby Rahal, joins the team after spending two years with Chip Ganassi Racing. Both in 2013 and 2014, his best result is a second place, but overall, both seasons are disappointing. In 2015, success finally comes: Graham Rahal wins two races in Fontana and Mid-Ohio and is one of the six title contenders during the season finale in Sonoma. However, the season ends disappointingly for Rahal, who finishes fourth in the championship.
Further Success and Partnership with Spencer Pigot
In 2016, Graham Rahal continues with the team and is joined in the races at St. Petersburg, the Grand Prix, and the 500-miler at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by 2015 Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot. Pigot makes a positive impression and races the rest of the season with Ed Carpenter Racing. Graham Rahal wins a race with one of the closest finishes in the history of the sport at Texas Motor Speedway. From 2018, Bobby Rahal’s team fields two full-time cars again, one still driven by Graham Rahal, and the other driven by Takuma Sato, the 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500 winner, until 2021.
Expansion to Three Full-time Cars
After the 2021 season, Takuma Sato moves to Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing expands from two to three full-time cars in 2022. The driver lineup changes significantly: Graham Rahal competes for the tenth consecutive year in the car with number 15 and gets two new teammates, rookie Christian Lundgaard and Jack Harvey, who joins from Meyer Shank Racing.
Disappointments and Highlights in 2022
In 2022, Graham Rahal scores nine top-ten finishes, with a fourth place in Toronto as his best result. Christian Lundgaard wins the 'Rookie of the Year' title after seven top-ten finishes and a second place in the second race at the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For Jack Harvey, however, 2022 is a disastrous first year with the team. He misses the race at Texas Motor Speedway after a heavy crash and manages just one top-ten finish, a tenth place in Nashville.
Struggles for Jack Harvey and Breakthrough for Lundgaard
Harvey’s replacement for Texas, Santino Ferrucci, finishes ninth after starting the race from the last position on the grid, a better result than Harvey achieved in sixteen races. Despite the disappointing 2022 season, Harvey retains his seat for 2023. Unfortunately, he does not achieve any top-ten finishes and is benched three races before the end of the year. Graham Rahal has a decent season, while Lundgaard has a standout season with two pole positions and his first IndyCar victory in Toronto, earning him an eighth place in the championship.
New Driver and Challenges in 2024
In 2024, the vacant seat is filled by Pietro Fittipaldi, alongside regular drivers Rahal and Lundgaard. For Fittipaldi, his first full IndyCar season proves to be challenging, as he fails to achieve any top-ten finishes. Lundgaard and Rahal frequently finish in the top ten, but neither can compete for pole positions or victories.
New Drivers Again in 2025
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is set to undergo significant changes in its driver lineup for 2025. Lundgaard departed for McLaren this season, while Pietro Fittipaldi was sidelined due to disappointing results. Alongside veteran Graham Rahal, rookie Louis Foster and Devlin DeFrancesco will race for Bobby Rahal's team in 2025.
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