Graham, who has raced for his father’s IndyCar Sequence staff since 2013, is branching out into the possession facet because the duo fashioned the creation of Rahal Ducati Moto, a two-bike staff that may compete within the Supersport class of North America’s premier motorbike street racing sequence.
The riders of the 2 Ducati Panigale V2s might be introduced at a later date. Ben Spies, a five-time AMA champion, 2009 World Superbike Champion and MotoGP race wnner, will function the staff principal. XPEL, a number one supplier of protecting movies and coatings, together with automotive paint safety movie, floor safety movie, automotive and business/residential window movies, and ceramic coatings, would be the major sponsor for the bikes in a multi-year deal.
“This has been a very long time coming and one thing I’ve wished to do since we obtained the Ducati manufacturers,” Graham Rahal stated. “Having a few these shops now has been nice and we wish to proceed to construct our relationship. There isn’t any higher method to try this than by way of the racing program and I’m excited to get going.
“None of this is able to be attainable with out XPEL, a model that I’ve a long-term relationship with by way of Rahal Paint Safety and I’m desperate to see what we are able to do as a bunch within the MotoAmerica sequence. The sequence has been experiencing spectacular development in recent times and I’m excited to be a part of it.
“Having Ben Spies as basic supervisor is an actual asset to our program. He offers us lots of legitimacy but in addition brings lots of success and is somebody we are able to lean on to set our riders and staff in the very best place for fulfillment. That is going to be an amazing journey for our group and Ducati and one thing we are able to develop into the longer term and hopefully have some success on the Ducati Panigale V2.”
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda and Bobby Rahal
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photographs
The bikes might be ready at Rahal Ducati Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Indiana, after which transfer to the all-new GR Manufacturers headquarters in Zionsville, Indiana, which Rahal broke floor on earlier this 12 months and is predicted to be completed by the winter of 2024.
“I’m actually happy that Graham has been in a position to put this program along with XPEL within the MotoAmerica sequence,” stated Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time IndyCar champion.
“I’ve loved working with (MotoAmerica founders) Richard Varner and Terry Karges by way of the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and met Wayne Rainey a couple of years in the past as properly. I’ve at all times been an enormous fan of bike racing, notably Grand Prix street racing, and have had the privilege to get to know Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and others over time and have the best respect and admiration for what they had been in a position to obtain everywhere in the world.
“With Graham’s Ducati dealerships, it actually appears to make sense for us to be concerned. He has an incredible quantity of expertise with XPEL by way of his companies and now we have a rising relationship by way of our vehicle dealerships in Pennsylvania and know them to be a frontrunner within the trade so to affix with them for Rahal Ducati Moto is one thing we’re very happy with and looking out ahead to increasing the connection with them for years to return.”
Wayne Rainey, president of MotoAmerica, added, “The Rahals are legends in motorsports. We’ve been in dialogue with them for some time to get their group concerned in motorbike racing with MotoAmerica. I’m actually excited as a result of we all know they will be an exquisite addition to our paddock and the sequence.
“Bobby and Graham Rahal have been concerned in auto racing for a very long time and have been profitable in many alternative sequence, and so they’ve earned lots of championships. All of us are tremendous excited to have a staff with the Rahal’s status in our motorbike street racing championship. To me, it actually exhibits how far MotoAmerica has come these final 9 years.”
The 2024 season begins with the Daytona 200, a non-points paying Supersport race on the Daytona Worldwide Speedway March 7-9. Uniquely, the sequence will even have a spherical at Mid-Ohio Sports activities Automobile Course, the Rahal’s house monitor, this 12 months as a part of its 10-race schedule that might be broadcast by MAVTV.
“I’m tremendous excited in regards to the undertaking,” Spies stated. “I used to be approached a few months in the past and requested if I wished to be a part of it to place my data to make use of to assist with the staff and the riders and it was a no brainer for me. Between bringing the Rahal title into the game and partnering with Ducati, who’s doing an amazing job globally, I feel that is the proper time for them to affix forces and are available into the sequence.
“The final two-to-three years have seen a fairly large uptick for MotoAmerica with the followers so there’s a little bit of a resurgence happening. The Rahals are coming in proper now and can most likely pull one or two different corporations in to start out a staff and I have a look at that as a very good factor.
“I’m simply excited to be again within the paddock and use a few of my data to assist the staff and undoubtedly assist the riders on the weekends with technique and all of that. I’m wanting ahead to it.”
