Graham Rahal Signs Multi-Year Deal To Remain At Rahal Letterman Lanigan IndyCar Team

With his family’s last name on a fabulous new racing facility in Zionsville, Indiana, there was little doubt that Graham Rahal would remain at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s IndyCar team.

On Monday, November 13, it became official.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced a new multi-year agreement that will see Rahal continue to compete for the team in the NTT IndyCar Series.

The announcement was made Monday morning, November 13.

“We are pleased to have been able to come to an agreement with Graham to drive for the team for the coming years,” said team co-owner Bobby Rahal. “Clearly, when we’ve given him a car that he likes he shows what he can do by running up front. Two pole positions, really within a fraction of a second for a third this year and led many laps.

“All of that should reaffirm to everyone what he is capable of. He’s as driven as ever to win races and it’s exciting to watch. Clearly the efforts of the team over the off season are to ensure we have competitive cars at every race next year, including the Indy 500.”

Rahal earned two of the final four poles in 2023, made three front row starts and returned to the podium at the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis with a second-place finish in what was the closest finish recorded on the road course with a margin of 0.4779 to the winner, Scott Dixon, after he led a race-high 36 laps.

“I’m extremely excited to get a new multi-year agreement in place and hopefully continue to build and improve the team,” said the son of team co-owner Bobby Rahal. “At the end of the season, we saw some glimpses of what we can and should be.

“Obviously, there is a lot of work still to be done to ensure that we continue to grow and get ourselves in a place for continuous success but I’m excited about the signs that I saw.

“I’m also excited to continue working with the tremendous partners that we have. It was important to me to continue to represent them and hopefully do a great job for them as we go forward. I’m glad that we were able to come together with Mike, my dad, David (Letterman) and everyone at the organization to continue together.”

Rahal’s rookie season of IndyCar competition was in 2007 and he joined RLL full time in 2013.

Since that time, he has earned three of his five career poles and five of his six career wins with RLL and contended for the championship in the final race of the 2015 season from a second-place rank.

Rahal joins teammates Christian Lundgaard and Pietro Fittipaldi for RLL’s 2024 IndyCar lineup.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Indiana, is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan.

In 2024, the team will compete in its 33rd year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 111 podium finishes and 1992 series championship.

The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT
GT
category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team, and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team, and Manufacturer Championship.

From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 23 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 101 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2024 season.

BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team, and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.

“I have worked with Graham for the last 18 years, first as a 17-year-old in the Atlantic Series and many years as an IndyCar driver,” said team co-owner Michael Lanigan. “Watching him grow and excel not only in racing, but also off the track, has been very impressive. Signing him with RLL will certainly continue to enhance the team’s ability to succeed in the competitive world we race in.

“His experience and knowledge in all aspects of racing is one the team will take full advantage of.”