UPDATE: Rahal Letterman Racing has not only finalized its deal to field a car for Oriol Servia at the Indianapolis 500, but has also confirmed to RACER.com that its evocative paint scheme will remain.
As we reported last week, the team – which sat out the opening races of the 2009 season after losing its Ethanol sponsorship – had entered a car for this year’s race but the car, painted in a color scheme that commemorates Dan Gurney’s Eagles of the 1960s, remained in the garage while the team sought to finalize sponsorship arrangements. Today, RLR announced that the car would be sponsored by DAFCA, a micro-electronics counterfeiting protection systems company.
“We have worked very hard all year in order to put this program together for the Indianapolis 500 and we feel like we have a package that will allow us to go to Indy and perform well,” said RLR co-owner Bobby Rahal. “The team’s experience, combined with a veteran talent like Oriol, should give us everything we need to be competitive throughout the event. We are extremely pleased to welcome DAFCA to the RLR family and look forward to giving DAFCA a great experience in their first visit to Indy.”
“DAFCA believes that the Rahal Letterman team embodies the same sort of competitive zeal and ethical stature to which DAFCA aspires in its business affairs; it’s a very good fit for us,” stated DAFCA Chairman, Jim Kelley.
Servia has 39 top-five finishes in 142 open-wheel starts. The 1999 Indy Lights champion made his first Indy 500 start last season, finishing 11th, and finished ninth in the IndyCar Series point standings a year ago in his first season in that series but, like RLR, the Catalonian driver was then sidelined by a lack of sponsorship.
“Sometimes being stubborn is not such a bad thing,” Servia said. “I had a great season last year and I feel I am at the top of my game. Although the season started without me having a ride, I knew that if I was patient enough something good would happen. I am really excited to announce this opportunity I have been given to participate in the greatest race in the world with one of the best teams in open-wheel history. I have raced many years against the Rahal Letterman team and makes me very proud to be finally part of it. I am sure that together our focused efforts will make a very successful experience. I am also very pleased to be part of DAFCA's first journey into the Indianapolis 500 and make it fast, secure and accomplished as the company itself stands for.”