CCWS Feature - The Graham Rahal Interview
28/06/2007
Graham Rahal is no ordinary 18-year old kid. It’s kind of hard to be normal when your father is and Indy 500 winner and Indycar champion, and you’ve chosen to follow into his racing driving footsteps.
But Rahal is no graduate of the Silver Spoon Racing program. Far from it. He’s sharp, clear and focused about the way he’s going racing, and where he’s going to do it. Dad may own an IndyCar Series team and and an American Le Mans Series team, but Graham’s doing his own thing with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing in the Champ Car World Series.
But his focus on his career – even while he was still at school – belies his years. Sure, he’s earning good money, and he rewarded himself for his efforts by buying himself a Corvette Z06 with the prize monies he’s amassed. “I was going to buy a Dodge Viper,” he says.
“But then I started thinking, ‘Racing’s going to be busy this year. I’m probably going to want to drive to some events and the ’Vette certainly has a lot more luggage space, so I’ll get that.’ Seriously, for how affordable it is, it is really an impressive car.”
Whether watching Rahal reel-off those Atlantic wins or listening to him speak in measured terms about valuing his education over racing at Le Mans, it’s at once easy to forget he is only 18 and difficult to hearken back to your own adolescence, put yourself in his shoes and imagine having the discipline to carry off his demanding schedule.
“The biggest thing is my parents taught me how to be responsible; how to get everything done,” he says. “They always put a huge emphasis on school, grades, all those sorts of things. So it was only natural for me when both of these things started to get tougher to stay on top of everything and do the best that I could.
“It is very, very busy. When you come home you just have to understand that you’re not gonna be able to hang out with your friends all the time, you do have other things to do.
“It’s tough, but I just try to enjoy the little things in life. I often spend time at Starbucks just relaxing with my friends or going to get a scoop of ice cream every once in a while. Little things in life, people lose sight of sometimes, but for me those are the things that keep me grounded.”
Rahal is not the typical Newman/Haas/Lanigan hire. He’s the first American to drive for the team since Mario and Michael Andretti, a legacy dating to the days when Haas studiously avoided American drivers in his Can-Am cars.
“I wouldn’t say they’re the best team in Champ Car,” Rahal says. “I’d say they’re the best team in racing. The record speaks for itself. Even when Penske, Ganassi and Team Rahal – as it was known then – were winning multiple races a year, Newman/Haas was still winning championships.
“So it’s a great way to come into the series. But at the same time, there’s pressure to do well. You knew these guys can win races. But they certainly made me feel at home. Even though they were there to win, they knew I was going to have to learn. And they completely understood. They helped me, Carl, Paul, Mike... everybody. It was never, ‘Hey, you need to jump in and win.’
“Certainly rookie of the year is a goal,” he says, “certainly a race win although I’d like to get a couple. Now we have one podium, a second place, the next step up is the top.”
“Formula 1 is certainly on my radar,” he says. “I’ve made that clear to everyone around me. I’d like to see, whether it’s myself or anybody else, an American go over there and win. I’m not saying (Toro Rosso’s) Scott (Speed) is not capable of doing so, but unfortunately the position that he’s in, it’s not gonna happen.
“At the same time, I’d like to be (the) American there representing this country and making everybody proud. This is something I hold very important, because you do become a hero to young Americans when you’re in that position. (So) I’d like to do some testing this winter if the opportunity were to come up. Right now there is truly nothing there. But it’s a dream of mine and I hope the opportunity comes around.”