Graham to RLR

[Scotty G.]

According to WRTV6, Graham Rahal will drive the #17 at Indy this May.

[jackmart]

what?? RLR as isn rahal letterman racing when he just said in an article he wouldn't do that. confused

[NickFalzone]

As I said in one of the other Indy threads, there weren't very many good options left for Graham to choose from - referring to the teams who had submitted "open" entries for the 500 with a car but not driver. Either go with a mid-pack or worse team, or go with his Dad's who has consistently had good cars at Indy. My guess is that he's going with RLR for Indy, and still working to make another team happen for the rest of the year.

[Easy Drifter]

I thought he said he did not want to drive for his dad but if there were no other options he would. Not his exact words but what I understood.

[Scotty G.]

How tough is it for American drivers?

Graham driving for his dad.
Marco driving for his dad.
John driving for his cousin.
Ed Carpenter driving for his stepdad.
AJ IV driving for his grandfather.
Sarah Fisher driving for her own team.



Good thing for family. ;)

[Scotty G.]

I thought he said he did not want to drive for his dad but if there were no other options he would. Not his exact words but what I understood.

RLR was always the fallback option. If everything else fell apart (which I guess it did), he would run for dad.

I thought he gave away what his plans for the year might end up being, when he said the other day that maybe he will just run Indy and Mid Ohio (his home race) the rest of the year. That would tell me, he will be with RLR.

Plus, RLR is the only place he could go and not have to buy his ride.

[jackmart]

where is that channel based out of? indy? bc i know its not columbus. im glad to see him in a car.

that is crazy that almost all americans have family connections, of course, rhr and dp do not, is that it?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Family connections have always mattered in Indycar racing, even before the demise of the series to where it is. Michael Andretti I am sure got a ride with the same team with Dad because of who Dad is. Anyone stupid enough to think Al Jr. didn't have some doors opened based on his name? Villeneuve wasn't an Indycar guy, but I am sure his first forays in racing were helped by some team owner thinking the kid might have the talent the dad had.

Racing is full of nepotism. The Foyt's practice it too.......

Why act like any of this is new? At least Graham has a decent guy to drive for...lol

[markabilly]

Family connections have always mattered in Indycar racing, even before the demise of the series to where it is. Michael Andretti I am sure got a ride with the same team with Dad because of who Dad is. Anyone stupid enough to think Al Jr. didn't have some doors opened based on his name? Villeneuve wasn't an Indycar guy, but I am sure his first forays in racing were helped by some team owner thinking the kid might have the talent the dad had.

Racing is full of nepotism. The Foyt's practice it too.......

Why act like any of this is new? At least Graham has a decent guy to drive for...lol
same thing in nascar and f1 as well

But some around here hint that DP connections are not exactly family which is good because of laws regarding such relations

[Scotty G.]

Family connections have always mattered in Indycar racing



Of course they have. Some drivers have children, and they turn into drivers.

But I don't remember Johncock, Sneva, Mears, the Unser's, Mario, Sullivan, Cogan, Rutherford, Moseley, Carter and Bettenhausen driving for their dad or their grandpappy.

And I don't see Briscoe, Helio, Sato, Moraes, Conway, Wilson, Dixon, Dario, Meira, Wheldon, Matos, etc... driving for their families either right now.

I guess its a good thing some guys like Foyt, Andretti and Rahal have offspring that drive cars. Otherwise, we'd probably have about 4 American drivers left in the sport for Indy.

[Chris R]

More than a few race car drivers had their early careers funded by their parents or some other family member.... just because that parent is a driver already shouldn't matter....

While it is admirable to want to "go it alone", there is fundamentally nothing wrong with using your family connections and/or wealth to further your career - whatever that career might be.....

[beachbum]

Family connections have always mattered in Indycar racing, even before the demise of the series to where it is. Michael Andretti I am sure got a ride with the same team with Dad because of who Dad is. Anyone stupid enough to think Al Jr. didn't have some doors opened based on his name? Villeneuve wasn't an Indycar guy, but I am sure his first forays in racing were helped by some team owner thinking the kid might have the talent the dad had.

Racing is full of nepotism. The Foyt's practice it too.......

Why act like any of this is new? At least Graham has a decent guy to drive for...lolSome of the first things taught about job hunting are connections, connections, connections. In the real world, most jobs (and race driving is a job) are found through networking, mentors, and family. Nepotism rears its head in many ways, from working for family to family connections getting jobs with family friends. It is one of the reasons second generation drivers have an advantage, even if they never drive for family. Their exposure to the industry gives them more connections to important people than people from the "outside" and they understand the system. What anyone is surprised by this, I have no idea.

By the way, if anyone has worked for family, they know it is no bed of roses. I did for many years, and I will never do it again.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I hope the #17 will have the same livery it did last year.

[Scotty G.]

Update...

According to Gary Graves of USA Today, Graham will drive the #30 car at Indy, with sponsorship to be named later.

Domino's Pizza? It is the 20th anniversary of Arie Sr's win at Indy, in the Domino's Pizza "Hot One" #30 car.

[TURN3]

If Graham has sponsorship and RLR has the best available package out there with an open seat, I have no problem with him going back on his statement of not wanting to use his family connections. A little different than getting in Dad's car without any backing. We'll see but sounds like it is a legit deal and not some handout like Marco for example.

[SUBARUTEAM]

How tough is it for American drivers?

Graham driving for his dad.
Marco driving for his dad.
John driving for his cousin.
Ed Carpenter driving for his stepdad.
AJ IV driving for his grandfather.
Sarah Fisher driving for her own team.



Good thing for family. ;)

that is funny and sad

[garyshell]

If Graham has sponsorship and RLR has the best available package out there with an open seat, I have no problem with him going back on his statement of not wanting to use his family connections. A little different than getting in Dad's car without any backing. We'll see but sounds like it is a legit deal and not some handout like Marco for example.

Technically he is not going back on his word. He said something to the effect that he didn't want to drive for RLR, but would if nothing else materialized.

Gary

[TURN3]

Technically he is not going back on his word. He said something to the effect that he didn't want to drive for RLR, but would if nothing else materialized.

Gary

True, I was trying to choose my words carefully. For a 20 year old kid under these circumstances he deserves some respect in my opinion. Going the RLR route for Indy is in no way inappropriate for his personal effort to make it on his own. Especially if he is brining a sponsorship package...looking at the entry list, RLR has by far the strongest package available.

[MDS]

It's officiall


Graham Rahal will drive in this month's Indianapolis 500 for his father Bobby, who won in 1986 as a driver and 2004 as an owner, in a one-race deal with Rahal Letterman Racing.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/irl/2010-05-04-graham-rahal-indy-500_N.htm

[Mark in Oshawa]

Technically he is not going back on his word. He said something to the effect that he didn't want to drive for RLR, but would if nothing else materialized.

Gary

We have to give him credit, he is trying to do this on his own. I respect that...