MOTOR RACING / SHAV GLICK : Year of Hard Work Pays Off for Rahal

In a year that produced no standout motor racing performer, Indy car champion Bobby Rahal was selected as the American driver of the year for the second time.

And if there were such an award, Rahal would probably be chosen American car owner of the year, too.

Rahal, by edging Michael Andretti by four points for the PPG Indy car championship, became the first driver-owner to win the title since A.J. Foyt did it in a United States Auto Club season in 1979. But Rahal’s was noteworthy because he and partner Carl Hogan were in their rookie year as owners.

“After winning the Indy car championship--which was the most rewarding moment of my racing career--getting this award is the topping to a dream season,” Rahal, 39, said before leaving his home in Dublin, Ohio, for New York and the awards luncheon Friday at the 21 Club.

“I still can’t believe what’s happened, especially after remembering that last year at this time we didn’t even have a racing program put together. And now we’ve won all these awards. What a year! It would make a great Hollywood script.”

In 1986, Rahal was a unanimous choice as driver of the year after winning the Indianapolis 500 and his first series championship. This year, the balloting was closer. Rahal polled 89 points to 65 for Davey Allison, the Daytona 500 winner and points leader for much of NASCAR’s Winston Cup season; 57 for Alan Kulwicki, who won the Winston Cup championship in the final race after never having led during the year; and 31 for Michael Andretti, who won a season-high five Indy car races.

Others who received votes included Joe Amato, NHRA top-fuel drag racing champion; Juan Fangio II, IMSA Camel GT sports car champion; Steve Kinser, World of Outlaws champion; Cruz Pedregon, NHRA funny car champion in his rookie year, and Bill Elliott, winner of five Winston Cup races, including the season finale at Atlanta.

Ki Cuyler, a Pittsburgh businessman who sponsors the award, said: “I’m with the panel in their unanimous opinion that this year’s choice was the toughest in the 26 years of the award.”

Rahal became the sixth driver to be selected more than once. Others include Mario Andretti, 1967, 1978, 1984; Darrell Waltrip, 1979, 1981, 1982; David Pearson, 1973, 1976; Bobby Allison, 1972, 1983; and Elliott, 1985, 1988.

Rahal and Hogan bought the assets of Patrick Racing to form Rahal/Hogan Team Miller last December. Rahal finished third in the Lola-Chevy’s first race, at Surfers Paradise in Australia, and then won its second time out, at Phoenix. He led all 200 laps in dominating the Phoenix race.

“When we won at Phoenix, the way we won it, I felt we had a shot at winning the championship,” Rahal said. “We had a mix of guys from different teams, and they blended together well. Winning the PPG Cup means everyone giving their best, and this team worked their butts off for the championship. And winning wasn’t just a fluke. It was a year of careful, focused hard work.

“The driver-of-the-year award is for all the guys on the team, not just me.”

Rahal’s other victories were at Detroit; Loudon, N.H., and Nazareth, Pa. A model of consistency, he also had three seconds and three thirds and led in points for most of the 16-race season. The crew also won the Texaco/Havoline Pit Stop championship.

With the $1-million bonus he collected from series sponsor PPG Industries, the Denison University graduate became the all-time money leader among Indy car drivers with $11,166,578.

Rahal, who will be taking another direction with his team next year in his car owner’s role, promises he won’t let up--even on the driver.

The new car will be a “Made in America” Truesports. The Rahal/Hogan team bought the Truesports team and facilities in Hilliard, Ohio, from Barbara Trueman, widow of Rahal’s former mentor and car owner, Jim Trueman. Scott Pruett drove the car last year and had a disappointing season, his best finish a fourth at Vancouver.

“I’m not going to let the championship go to the driver’s head,” Rahal said. “We’ve been testing already at Laguna Seca and Phoenix, and we’ll do some more starting Jan. 4, which is long before most of the other teams will be getting their new Lolas.

“Winning again would mean a lot to the team, because there are people out there who think what we did was a fluke, and we don’t think so.”

Motor Racing Notes

SWITCHES--Tom Kendall, who has been racing Chevrolets since he was a teen-ager, has signed a multi-year contract with Roush Racing to drive a Mustang Cobra in the IMSA Exxon Series next year. The La Canada driver will introduce the car Jan. 31 in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with his former driving partner, Max Jones of Long Beach, as team manager. . . . Scott Goodyear, who started last and finished less than a car length behind Al Unser Jr. in last May’s Indianapolis 500, will remain with Derrick Walker’s team, but will be switching from a Chevrolet to a Ford Cosworth engine.

MISCELLANY--The Vintage Auto Racing Assn. will hold a Triumph vs. MG challenge race Sunday at Willow Springs Raceway as part of a two-day antique car program. Also at Willow Springs on Sunday will be a Sportsman Challenge for stock cars. . . . Ventura Raceway has canceled the motocross/off-road racing program scheduled for Saturday night and has closed for the year.