Graham, who has raced for his father’s IndyCar Sequence staff since 2013, is branching out into the possession aspect because the duo shaped the creation of Rahal Ducati Moto, a two-bike staff that can compete within the Supersport class of North America’s premier motorbike highway racing collection.
The riders of the 2 Ducati Panigale V2s will likely 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 industrial/residential window movies, and ceramic coatings, would be the main 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 bought the Ducati manufacturers,” Graham Rahal mentioned. “Having a few these shops now has been nice and we need to proceed to construct our relationship. There is no such thing as a higher method to do this than by means of the racing program and I’m excited to get going.
“None of this might be doable with out XPEL, a model that I’ve a long-term relationship with by means of Rahal Paint Safety and I’m desirous to see what we will do as a bunch within the MotoAmerica collection. The collection has been experiencing spectacular development in recent times and I’m excited to be a part of it.
“Having Ben Spies as normal supervisor is an actual asset to our program. He provides us a variety of legitimacy but additionally brings a variety of success and is somebody we will lean on to set our riders and staff in the perfect place for fulfillment. That is going to be an awesome journey for our group and Ducati and one thing we will 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 Pictures
The bikes will likely 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 capable of put this program along with XPEL within the MotoAmerica collection,” mentioned 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 means of the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and met Wayne Rainey a number of years in the past as nicely. I’ve all the time been an enormous fan of bike racing, notably Grand Prix highway 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 have been capable of obtain all around the world.
“With Graham’s Ducati dealerships, it definitely appears to make sense for us to be concerned. He has an amazing quantity of expertise with XPEL by means of his companies and we’ve got a rising relationship by means of our car 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 pleased with and looking out ahead to increasing the connection with them for years to come back.”
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’re going to be a beautiful addition to our paddock and the collection.
“Bobby and Graham Rahal have been concerned in auto racing for a very long time and have been profitable in many various collection, and so they’ve earned a variety of championships. All of us are tremendous excited to have a staff with the Rahal’s status in our motorbike highway 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 collection will even have a spherical at Mid-Ohio Sports activities Automotive Course, the Rahal’s residence monitor, this 12 months as a part of its 10-race schedule that will likely be broadcast by MAVTV.
“I’m tremendous excited in regards to the venture,” Spies mentioned. “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 information 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 awesome job globally, I believe that is the right time for them to affix forces and are available into the collection.
“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 begin a staff and I have a look at that as a extremely good factor.
“I’m simply excited to be again within the paddock and use a few of my information to assist the staff and positively assist the riders on the weekends with technique and all of that. I’m trying ahead to it.”
