Motor sports

In dad's path, but not his series

Graham Rahal joins Champ Car, Bobby Rahal's old series, instead of his father's IndyCar team.

By BRANT JAMES
Published April 15, 2007

Graham Rahal had yet to even start a Champ Car race, but by the sound of it, he was well on his way to becoming a member of its board of directors. All in due time, perhaps, but the mature-beyond-his-18-years Rahal had made quite an impression, both with his new bosses and the billionaire he had spurned in his blunt but polite way. And he had already fueled hope in an open-wheel world in general and a series in particular groping for viability.

An uncommon burden, for sure. But Rahal - son of three-time CART champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal - had seemingly been preparing for this his whole life. And in the confident and composed teen, Champ Car has perhaps found not only the kind of American driver it can pin its identity on, but a zealot for its racing style.

"Champ Car to me is open-wheel racing in the United States," Rahal said last month. "Champ Car was CART, was Indy car in the old days. That's where it started. It was never (the Indy Racing League). That's a new branch.

"That's what I remember as a kid. It has the history, and that's why I'd like to be part of it. My dad was part of it, that's where the Andrettis were from, Foyt, all these people are from Champ Car."

They all currently race, however, in the IRL, which has become the more visible North American-based open-wheel series.

Rahal finished second in points last season as rookie in Champ Car's developmental Atlantic series, winning five times and becoming the circuit's youngest-ever victor. He also competed internationally in the A1 GP series for Team Lebanon and contested the 24-hour Daytona and 12-hour Sebring sports car races this year. Rahal lasted one lap in his Champ Car debut at Las Vegas last week, getting pinched into the wall.

Though his father owns an IRL team, Rahal and his independent streak led him to find his own way in the rival series.

Kevin Kalkhoven, determined to keep a homegrown talent in-house, was in a conflicted situation when it became clear Rahal wanted to stay. As principal owner of the series, the Australian billionaire needed as many talented drivers as he could hoard. The fact that Rahal was a winner, American, and had a known name made him a prize in a series that has not had an American champion since Jimmie Vasser in 1996.

As principal owner of PKV Racing, Kalkhoven very much wanted to add him to his lineup.

Rahal was given a tryout by Newman/Haas/Lanigan, which had won three consecutive championships with Sebastien Bourdais.

"His father talked to me about having him drive for us, and we had some pressure from Champ Car, if we could use him," said team co-owner Carl Haas. "He did surprisingly well."

The choice was simple for Rahal: go where he could absorb as much as he could.

"(Kalkhoven) said there were a couple of teams that wanted me, one of which would be his and the other would be Newman/ Haas," Rahal remembered. "I said, 'Well, obviously, no offense to you, but' ... well, I didn't say it, but I was thinking it."'

Kalkhoven was disappointed, then started thinking beyond his team, he said.

"We intend to make sure that the world knows what a great young man he is and what a great driver he is and what a great young American he is," Kalkhoven said. "He's going to be the basis of a lot of marketing."

Champ Car should use him while it has him. Rahal makes no secret his ultimate goal is to race in Formula One, as his father did briefly in 1978.

"I feel that there's something I can do to help this series grow," he said, "(but) if the Formula One opportunity does come up again in the next few years, yeah, I would probably try to go."

Haas said he expected Rahal to complete his three-year contract, but F1 could impact his team sooner. Bourdais' test with Scuderia Toro Rosso in December earned him a second test in July. Should Bourdais be lured away, Rahal becomes Haas' elder at 19.

"If I do my job here, Formula One and anything else could come from it," said Rahal, who starts fifth in today's race at Long Beach, Calif. "But if I don't get the results, you'll see me disappear just as quick as I came on the scene. I think you're starting to see that with Danica (Patrick) and everybody else. If you're not winning races, it doesn't mean anything to anybody."

Right now, him winning would mean a lot to Champ Car.

[Last modified April 14, 2007, 23:02:57]