The seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is a hero for many youngsters who are successful professional race car drivers today. They’ve all looked up to him with dreamy eyes throughout their pursuit of greatness. Back in the day, Johnson, too, had a hero whose footsteps he wanted to follow. But he was in for a big reality check the first time he saw him.
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Johnson was on the Never Settle podcast when a fan asked him who was the greatest driver he ever saw. He narrated the first time he got to see the legendary Bobby Rahal in person. “The first real professional-level race car driver I saw was Bobby Rahal in the 1980s at the Del Mar Grand Prix in California,” he said.
“We snuck into the pits and he climbed out of his car, and I couldn’t believe this very normal-looking dude got out of this incredible race car that we drooled over all weekend long and he dominated the race.”
According to Johnson, Rahal’s weird mustache, thinning hair, and glasses were nowhere close to the gladiator-like appearance he had been expecting.
Despite the surprise, Rahal’s performance on the race track that weekend had ignited a fire inside young Johnson‘s heart. The mustache and the beer sponsor on the car were all too attractive not to be sought after. From there on, a journey began — one that gave NASCAR one of its most iconic superstars.
Bobby Rahal’s incredible legacy in motorsports
Born in Medina, Ohio, Bobby Rahal was the son of Barbara and Michael Rahal. His parents raced autos for over two decades and gave him the racing bug early on. His career includes three championships in the CART series (1986, 1987, and 1992) and a win in the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 2004 and 2020 as a co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Other major victories he secured are the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1988 Pocono 500. Following his retirement from racing, he held administrative positions with Jaguar’s Formula 1 outfit. He was also an interim president of the CART series for a while. His sole NASCAR start happened in 1984 with Wood Brothers Racing.
Bobby’s legacy on the track is carried forward today by his 36-year-old son, Graham Rahal. Graham is a driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the IndyCar Series and has six wins in 278 starts over the last 17 years.
