Graham Rahal, the Twitterview

Graham Rahal. Do the hopes of a nation rest on him? What does he think of his three-team-tour of 2010 so far? Can he consistently beat the old man on the golf course? (Yes.)

These are the burning questions put to Graham Friday, several of which were tweeted to me by actual fans. It's Graham Rahal, the pressdog™ Twitterview.

Rahal: To be honest, I think that I have been fortunate to drive for a bunch of good teams -- three this year already. I haven't really driven for Dreyer & Reinbold yet. I spent some time in the shop, time with the guys. Tomorrow (June 19) will be the first time I get in one of their cars. It will be a new experience. The thing that's good about this team, which is a lot like my dad's team and really Sarah to a certain extent, is that it's run by a group of people who are racers. People that want to win, that live and die for the sport. They don't look at it so much as a business that they do. It's something that they enjoy and want to be a part of. Whereas for a lot of the bigger teams, for the owners this is the way that they make money. Whereas for Dreyer & Reinbold, Dennis has got the (car) dealerships and everything else and this is just his way to have fun.

Rahal: First of all, Sarah's great. Sarah is the best. For anybody that hasn't met Sarah or spent time with Sarah, she's just about as good as they get as far as being an all round good person. She gave me an opportunity which I took. I wish we would have done better. It was pretty frustrating. But it's a great group of people. Hard-working, very dedicated. A group of people that really believe in the system at Sarah Fisher Racing and the operation and the ownership. I really enjoyed my time there.

The (tub) was cracked, or I should say it was roughly 35% softer than any other chassis they had. That's a big deal. That's not little. And so that's where we struggled when we couldn't get the car to react to any of the changes we were making. Unfortunately it really hurt us. It really hurt our performance. They did get that fixed. Dallara actually was great through the whole process. Dallara actually exchanged the chassis or something along those lines, I haven't asked them, but I know they did get a new chassis.

pressdog: When you drove for your father (at Indy), that was the first time you raced with him right? What was that like? Was it weird?

Rahal: It was the first time that I raced for dad, but no, I wouldn't say it was weird. I would say, if anything, it was a lot of fun. We had a really good time working together. The team performed very well. If an opportunity came up for us to do that again, I think we would both absolutely jump at it. I think we both would want more than anything to be back together. We thought we added a lot of value as a pair, obviously including Letterman, but as a pair we added a lot of value to our sponsors and were really successful.

pressdog: After seeing your father's teams start and observing Fisher's start-up, any chance there will be a Graham Rahal Racing later in your career?

Rahal: Not at this level of racing I wouldn't say, but some day I would love to start a team to help young drivers, whether it even be in go kart racing or something like that. Something that would really help grow our sport and help produce younger American drivers that come into this and be successful.

pressdog: Is that because you like working with kids or why the younger stages?

Rahal: I think there's a lack of it, you know? In Europe, Kimi Räikkönen, who was in F1 for a while, he has a junior team. Michael Schumacher helps do the same thing, a lot of the drivers help the younger kids. Kenny Brack from the IndyCar series, he's developing young drivers over there (Europe), Mark Blundell, who raced in CART for a long time, he represents Mike Conway and is doing things. Just trying to help the young kids to lead them in the right direction from an early age. I was fortunate enough to get that from my dad. There are a lot of people out there who don't, so that's what I would like to try to do at some point. Now, of course, that could expand to a racing team (in the top level), I feel like that's not what I want to do, but my dad would probably have said the same and now look where he is, so ...

pressdog: So what is it about the top-level team that makes you not want to be there?

Rahal: It's tough. It's a tough business. Any team, whether you are talking NASCAR, IndyCar or Formula One, it's a tough business. You put a lot on the line. A lot of your personal wealth, but also because if you get a good sponsors, someone who is very supportive and builds a great relationship together, then it's great. But there's always a lot on the line.

Rahal: Yeah, I'm working on everything. 2010, 11, 12. Anything and everything that comes up. I'm working hard on it.

pressdog: Is that something you are doing more now because of your experience this year or have you always done it?

Rahal: I would say it's something that I've become very active in now. I used to just sit back and I had a three-year contract with Newman Haas so I knew I was going to be around and I let them handle all the sponsorship and all that kind of stuff. Well, I'd say I'm far more active now trying to make something happen.

pressdog: Did the DRR deal come together suddenly or was that a slow-motion deal?

Rahal: Literally within one day. We got a call from Dennis and he said he wanted to run us at Iowa so I said okay let's do it. We put a deal together in one day. So it's a great opportunity. Unfortunately, it comes at the expense of Mike, but is a great opportunity and one that I hope goes really well and I really do hope it extends beyond just this race.

pressdog: But right now you don't know?

Rahal: Right now it hasn't even been talked about. I know that story came out yesterday (June 17) saying that they were working on a long-term deal, but we haven't discussed it whatsoever.

pressdog: How do you feel about filling in for an injured driver? What kind of mindset do you have to bring to that?

Rahal: You don't really want to do it that way, but at the same time you have to go out there and fight and push as hard as you can. It's a competitive sport all around. You gotta go in there and make sure you do your best to fill in for that driver and do your best to make the team more successful. And that's a challenge, but that's the way I think you have to approach it.

pressdog: So your mindset is this car is (the other driver's) and whenever he's ready to go, I'll get out of it?

Rahal: Pretty much. This is Mike's ride. It's not mine. So I'm in there filling in and imagine when Mike gets better he'll be jumping back in. But, obviously, a broken leg and stuff, it's going to be quite a while. As I said, I'm not here to try to ruin anybody else's day. I'm just fortunate that they gave me a call to fill in. So I'm going to try and make the most of it. 

pressdog: What do you think of the Iowa track?

Rahal: I've done it two years. Last  year we struggled, but in 2008 we were 10th, which, as transition team, was our best oval result of the year. So I really enjoyed it. It was a really good race for us last year. We made some contact with Danica earlier in the race (last year) and that bent some suspension, so we had to fix that and lost laps. So we finished, but it was just a long day.

pressdog: It looks like constant Gs. Is that hard to get used to?

Rahal. I'm okay with it. But it's physical. It's a tough place. There's no doubt that it's a place that will wear you out. By the time you've raced 250 laps, you're ready to sleep. I know that. It's a great little place. I've liked the shorter ovals myself, but there's no rest. No rest at all here.

pressdog: What do you think of the new engine spec?

Rahal: I think it's good. I think what you're seeing is that they are going to range the horsepower from 550 to 700. On road courses they'll turn them up, on the ovals they can keep them about where they are now because we really don't need to go faster on the ovals. All you're doing is increasing the risk. But on the road course, it's always fun to have more power. So that's what they're doing. I think it's the perfect formula to use, whether it be in-line four or V6, anything like that, with twin turbos or single turbo. Those are becoming far more fuel efficient and it's something that is very relevant to what the car manufacturers are doing today.

pressdog: What do you think of the Delta Wing?

Rahal: I'm not a big fan looks of the car, but I'm a fan of the open source (concept) and no secrets. If you go create a special part, it's got to be approved, so it's going to go on an online database and everybody can see what you are doing. I like that. I think that's good. Because there's a lot of parts out there that some of us don't know about now and that's been a big advantage. Who knows what people have? Yeah, it's gotta go through tech, but who really knows what they are doing? In that sense it makes it so there is an even playing field. 

pressdog: In Formula One, as you know, there has traditionally been a couple of dominant teams and other drivers try to get jobs with other F1 teams to try and march up to those dominant teams. Do you think IndyCar is becoming like that?

Rahal: Yes, I do, but the smaller teams are starting to be able to compete, you know? Like Dreyer & Reinbold can go and have podiums and be on the verge of winning races. They don't have anywhere near a budget of the Penske or Ganassi. It's a tricky, tricky sport. Although you think that Penske or Ganassi are going to win because they are the two biggest teams, we showed up at Indy as a one-off with Rahal-Letterman and put it in the show right with those guys. So that just shows you that if you have good equipment and have good people and good drivers, you can compete.

pressdog: As a driver, when you get a penalty (as you did at Indy), how do you react? I think I would scream five or six unfortunate things into my radio.

Rahal: The thing is that you try to keep a cool head. I knew I was getting a penalty whether I wanted one or not, so they weren't going to overturn it, so I might as well just drive through and keep a clear head and get back out there and race hard. And that's what I did. What can you say? Yeah, it was incredibly disappointing and I was obviously pretty mad about the whole deal, but what can you do about it? Not much.

pressdog: The process of tuning a new car on an oval as opposed to setting up for the road course, is that something you had to learn to do?

Rahal: I think, yeah, you learn it, but at the same time engineers and the personnel that are behind each and every one of these teams are top-flight guys and you can lean on them quite hard. Of course on the engineering side, it's really their job, but I try to produce ideas or concepts of things that go through my head that I can present them to get the wheels turning a little bit. It's something you learn through all of your days going through formula cars. But, like I said, at this level normally the engineers are good enough to where if you've got an issue you can sort it fairly quickly.

pressdog: With your background as a road racer, when you get to the road racing section of the schedule, do you feel relaxed, that you're back to the familiar ground?

pressdog: Well sometimes. But to be honest, I love Indy, and actually really like coming here. I like the short ovals, as I said, and the racing on the a mile and a half ovals is fun. Dangerous. It's fast. But it's cool to be able to pass and race like that, so I like it all. That's why this is the toughest championship to win in the world. People can say what they want about NASCAR, Formula One, whatever, but Formula One, they only do road courses. NASCAR, you only do ovals, really. You do two road course but in the big scheme of things they don't effect the championship. Here it's a mix of everything whether it's the high-speed ovals, superspeedways, short ovals, street courses, road courses. Throw it all together and you have a championship that you have to be the most well-rounded driver to win.

Rahal: I wouldn't go sky diving ... I don't know. (laughter). It's not heights necessarily but I don't know if I trust that parachute. There's not too much (that scares him), but sometimes it's like anybody, you know, that 220 doesn't scare me but jumping in an ocean with a bunch of sharks would probably get me going.

pressdog: Do people compare your driving with your father's?

Rahal: Not really, no. I haven't gotten that very much. But, then again, my dad's old so nobody remembers him I don't think. (Laughter)

pressdog: Was it hard driving for your father? Did you feel more pressure or put more pressure on yourself?

Rahal: Actually it was less pressure from him when I was driving for him at Indy because he's so much more involved and knew what was going on. Whereas when I drive for another teams, normally there's a lot of questions and trying to figure it all out. I'd say when he's there, there's probably less pressure for me. At Indy this year was a lot of pressure on me simply because I wanted to finish. I'd never finished one. So I put that upon myself. My dad always wanted me to get everywhere and to do everything on my own. He wanted me to develop without him, without his assistance in racing. Even when I was in Formula Atlantics I drove for a different team. He could have very easily run a team but he had someone else do it. He had a team in IndyCar racing when I was in it and he still wanted me to race for someone else.

pressdog: Is there a reason for that?

Rahal: He wanted me to earn the respect of others. That's always the way it's been.

pressdog: Is that always the way it's going to be or will there someday be a Rahal father-son team?

Rahal: No I think that someday they'll be a Rahal team, to be honest it could be someday soon. Indy was great. And you know what? If you're together and you're having success why would you question it? He always says to me "the most important thing to me is that you are with the best team. Now if we're the best team, then I want you to be here. But if we're not the best team, then I don't want you to be here." He wants to make sure that they've got the proper budget and equipment and people and everything to be successful. He's is not just going to have me there just to have me there.

pressdog: A lot of people talk about Graham Rahal as THEE American driver and we need more American drivers. Do you feel like the hopes of a nation are hanging on you?

Rahal: I don't know. Sometimes. Sometimes, but to be honest, I like it. There is a lot of pride associated with being American, I think. I don't think it's played up enough. Not in my case, but the patriotic side of the sport really isn't played up enough. But I don't know. I don't think that anybody will ever see that there will be a full grid of Americans in IndyCar racing, because the facts are that open-wheel racing has a worldwide appeal. NASCAR doesn't. You don't get that. But IndyCar and Formula One, worldwide are very popular, so you have a lot of drivers from around the world who want to be part of it.

pressdog: And the lack of a more robust feeder system has a role? I mean, where are the Americans with the background need to be in the series?

Rahal: Some of it comes down to where are the Americans and some of it comes down to where are the companies supporting the Americans. Unfortunately, I don't think they see the value in it like some of them should. But the thing is, overseas when kids jump in the first race car they ever jump in, rarely are their dad's paying for it. Because the companies will support kids from the time they are very young. Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver, he's a classic case. He was supported since he was in go karts by sponsors. I don't know, I just feel like there's more support overseas.

pressdog: So what's the answer? Is it to make IndyCar more popular?

Rahal: Yes. But in order for the sport to become more popular, it's going to take effort on everybody's part. All the media, all the fans, all the people that run the series. Because it's like NASCAR and these other sports becoming so popular, that's because people can't stop seeing it. Everywhere you go you see it. That's because people have gotten to rallying around it, and the next thing you know every newspaper you look at all it's talking about is NASCAR. I understand the popularity of the sport has to be better, but if everybody rallied around it, you get it in front of people's eyes, and that's what we need.

pressdog: And the team owners understand that?

I think that everybody more than understands. That's one thing that, in this series, sponsors will find is that everybody is very accessible and in a big way everybody wants to work together to make it as big as we can, and that includes the team owners.

Comments

[Speedy]

Pressdog

Thanks for the interview! Great questions, and it must have been fun to sit with Graham.

However... dude - maybe more proofreading next time. Aside from a bunch of grammar errors, missing, wrong or double words, there were some things that just didn't make sense.

For example, what does this mean:

"The processing to new car final was opposed setting up for the road course, is something you had to learn to do?"

Sorry to be picky, but I thought you'd like to know...

Thanks for all you do!

[pressdog]

Holy bad click. Meant to click the "save as draft" button and work on it more before posting and clicked the "publish now" apparently. Wasn't ready for prime time, obviously. I'm running through it. Thanks for the comment.

[Catie R]

:)
I figured something weird was up... The P-Dog doesn't screw up stuff like that THAT much. :)
Thanks for the interview!

[B-man]

It's interesting, but also disappointing, that Sarah Fisher fans get more information about SFR from Graham Rahal than from SFR itelf. C'mon SFR, start twittering and please update that painful website. You really are missing out on cultivating a broader fan base.