Robert “Bobby” Rahal

A teenage aspiring amateur racer who drove his first race in Canada with a slightly-fudged date of birth, Bobby became an American racing icon as a driver, car owner and administrator. Won a Formula Atlantic championship then took a hiatus from racing to work for a Chicago ad agency. Became CART’s 1982 Rookie of the Year, driving for Jim Trueman’s Red Roof Inns team. Won the Indianapolis 500 in 1986 , CART Champion in ’86, ’87 and ’92, and the series’ Driver of the Year in ’86 and ’92. Only owner/driver to win a CART title. In 17 years of CART racing won 24 races in 165 starts, on the podium 88 times. Also 1975 winner of the SCCA’s President’s Cup and Runoffs champion in Formula B.  Has given back to the sport which made him famous. Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing along with former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and businessman Michael Lanigan, which now fields cars in the IndyCar Series, IMSA, Global Rallycross and FIA eTROPHY in 2018. In 2004, RLL’s Buddy Rice won the Indianapolis 500 from pole. Spent nine months as CEO of Jaguar Formula One Racing, six months as Interim President and CEO of CART, was Chairman of the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Foundation from August 2012 until the fall of 2016 and is President of the Road Racing Drivers Club. Active in the community through The Bobby Rahal Foundation and operates Bobby Rahal Automotive Group, a string of car dealerships in Pennsylvania. Still carries a 10-handicap in golf. Rahal was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Sebring Hall of Fame in 2004, the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2010, the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2014.