Graham Rahal has stated that he feels he is being directed to more of an ownership role within his family’s Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team, and that he will start thinking more about the direction of the team overall as he enters the later portion of his driving career.
The veteran driver has been around IndyCar for even longer than his 15-year career behind the wheel would suggest, with his father Bobby Rahal starting a team around his own successful driving career.
The younger Rahal, now himself 33 years old, has been driving for his father’s team since 2013, and has always shown that he has intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the team itself.
That RLL team is in the midst of a growth spurt of sorts, with a large new race shop nearing completion in Indiana, and the team taking on a third full time driver this season for the first time.
Rahal has now revealed that it is a bit of an expectation that he is going to take over leadership, and possibly ownership, of his father’s team as it grows, and as he grows out of his role as a driver.
“It never really was my mindset that someday I would be a team owner,” said Rahal. “But the minute that building was built, I got a phone call from Mike [Lanigan] and my dad, and it was very clear that the expectation that I am going to assume that role with Pat Lanigan. So I’m focused on how we can get the team to the next level as well.
“There’s a lot to think about, a lot go through. Definitely more of a seniority role. We’ve got a lot of changes within the organization, even some as of today. All good things, elevating guys into roles. Guys that deserve the opportunity to go into management roles are getting the opportunity to do so.
“Where I am at in my career is that I have got to be the guy now to try to lead the charge a little bit. When you’re younger you don’t really think about those things, or certainly I wasn’t. I was just focused on me and my car and my team.
“I’ll be quite selfish when I say that I want the #15 car to be winning all the time. At the same time, it’s important we get this team headed down the right path as I creep up in age here a little bit.
“I’m getting closer to the end. I think we all know that. In the position I am at in my career now, I would say I’m definitely focused on winning more than ever before. I’m focused on being a good team-mate. I’m also focused on helping build this team.”
Rahal’s last victory came in 2017, and he is still hoping to rejuvenate some of that success before fully approaching a team management role in the future.
The new facility is in Indiana not Ohio