Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is a motor racing team from the IndyCar Series, which is part of U.S. motorsport legend Bobby Rahal, TV host David Letterman and the businessman Mike Lanigan.
- 2.1 CART
- 2.2 IRL / IndyCar Series
- 2.3 ALMS
History
CART
The team was founded in 1992 in the former IndyCar World Series as Rahal - Hogan Racing Bobby Rahal and Carl Hogan. The team won in his first year, the title of the series. In 1993, the team is True Sports, for the Rahal had gone before long years and now set up two cars. In addition, they tried to develop their own chassis, which, however, proved to be a flop. Once you could not even qualify for the Indianapolis 500, it was decided to rely on the usual Lola chassis. Hardly successful was the use of Honda engines in the 1994 season, which ended after the season. In order not to miss the Indy 500 again, had to be procured for this Ilmor engines.
In 1996 the team was renamed after the departure of Carl Hogan Team Rahal. The next few years they drove successfully in the CART series, but without winning the title. For the 2003 season, a car in the CART was shut down and only Michel Jourdain Jr. drove the entire season. The second car was used in the Indy Racing League in which the team from the upcoming season changed completely. In this case, Rahal had initially announce the continued use of a vehicle in the new series after the bankruptcy of the CART and the re-establishment as a Champ Car World Series, but this transferred shortly before the start of the season also in the IndyCar Series.
IRL / IndyCar Series
In the season of IndyCar Series 2003 season, the team used a car with Kenny Bräck in the IndyCar Series. The Swede was at the end of the season ninth overall. In the last race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, he suffered a serious accident injuries that left him sidelined until 2005. At the Indy 500 put to a second car for Jimmy Vasser.
As of 2004, the team traveled, now under the name Rahal Letterman Racing only in the IndyCar Series, with Letterman had previously participated in the team and drivers often invited to his show to advertise the series. Drivers were Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira, plus guest appearances by Roger Yasukawa in Motegi and Indianapolis. 2005 came alongside Rice and Meira Danica Patrick added as a third driver who quickly became a superstar in the series. In Indianapolis, the injured Buddy Rice was replaced by Kenny Bräck, which here had his only race after the accident.
For the 2006 season was the driver pairing Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Paul Dana. Dana brought a producer of fuel ethanol in the series, but crashed in practice for the season opener after a collision with Ed Carpenter fatal. The team moved both cars back for this race, the second race we went to with Rice and Patrick. From the third race, the ethanol - Car by Jeff Simmons was run. From 2007 all cars of the series with Ethanol fuel operated.
For the 2007 season, leaving both Rice as well as Patrick the team to switch to other teams. New arrived for the team Scott Sharp, whose team has been closed. Simmons was replaced during the season by Ryan Hunter -Reay, who was the only regular driver of the team for 2008. At the Indianapolis 500 2008 also a second car with Alex Lloyd was employed at the wheel together with Chip Ganassi Racing.
From 2009, the team focused on the stakes in the American Le Mans Series, and returned in 2009 and 2010 for the Indy 500 in the open-wheel sport back. For the 2011 season increased with Mike Lanigan, a third owner in the team, so that the team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in has been renamed. In the IndyCar Series puts you at the end of the era of the Dallara IR -03 chassis again this season two cars in a single race.
With the introduction of the Dallara DW- 12, the team returned completely back in the IndyCar Series. In the 2012 season, Takuma Sato drove the only car of the team. At the Indianapolis 500, the Japanese attacked on the last lap the leader Dario Franchitti in the first corner, the car lost, however, and crashes into the outer wall. He was seen as a 17 and finished the season in 14th place overall. In addition, a second car was used in Indianapolis again, at the wheel Michel Jourdain Jr. sat.
For 2013, Graham Rahal came back into the team his father, Takuma Sato left the team. The team also expanded back to two full-time cars as well as James Jakes came into the team. However, both could deliver only undurchschnittliche services and were the 18th and 19th of 21 drivers in the standings. Michel Jourdain Jr. drove in Indianapolis again in another car.
American Le Mans Series
For the 2007 season, Rahal Letterman rose with a Porsche 996 GT3 RSR in the American Le Mans Series and reached with the drivers Ralf Kelleners and Tommy Milner two podiums.
As of 2009, put the team Rahal Letterman Racing BMW as a two BMW M3 GT2 in the ALMS. The team of BMW North America was supported and got in his first season as a works driver Dirk Müller provided. In the following years several works drivers were used, as well as American drivers were employed. With the entry of Mike Lanigan as the third owner of the team's name changed to BMW Team RLL.
Up to and including the 2012 season was a driver, two team and two manufacturer's championships are won. Moreover, it was one of the most prestigious race of the championship, which will be won 12 Hours of Sebring twice. As of the 2013 season, the team moved to the new BMW Z4 GTE.
Driver
CART
IRL / IndyCar Series
ALMS
Achievements
- 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice
- 2010: American Le Mans Series GT Team Championship title
- 2011: American Le Mans Series GT driver's championship title with Joey Hand and Dirk Müller
- 2011: American Le Mans Series GT Team Championship title