David Letterman is mostly known for his long run on late-night television, where he made audiences laugh with clever interviews and sarcastic one-liners. However, away from the spotlight, Letterman has a real passion for motorsports. This is something that goes back to his childhood.
He grew up in Indianapolis, not far from the famous track. His earliest memory of the Indy 500 was listening to it on the radio with his family in 1955. He didn’t actually attend the race until 1966, while studying at Ball State University. Since then, the event has stayed close to his heart. This year, on Sunday, May 25, Letterman will once again return to his hometown for another Indy 500.
David Letterman co-owns a racing team
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Letterman officially joined the IndyCar scene as a team owner in 2004, right in the middle of his CBS talk show career. He partnered with Bobby Rahal, a former Indy 500 winner, and together they formed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, also known as RLL.
Their friendship started after Rahal appeared on Letterman’s show in the 1980s. From watching races in his leisure time to becoming a full-time part of the sport, Letterman slowly grew into the racing world. His connection to Rahal made that transition smoother, and today their team is one of the most recognized names at the Speedway.
Has David Letterman’s racing team ever won a race?
Yes, the team has celebrated major victories over the years. In 2004, Buddy Rice won the Indy 500 for Rahal Letterman Racing. Then in 2020, Takuma Sato gave the team another win under its current name, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. For this year’s race, RLL is putting four drivers on the track.
Takuma Sato, who already has two Indy 500 wins, will start from the front row. Devlin DeFrancesco, a Canadian newcomer to the team, qualified in the 16th spot. Rookie Louis Foster will make his first Indy 500 appearance starting from 20th place. Then, Graham Rahal, Bobby Rahal’s son and a six-time winner in the IndyCar Series, will start in 28th position.