Rahal looking for a way back to IndyCar

Bobby Rahal's passion for IndyCar racing hasn't waned over the past 12 months. On the contrary, attending IndyCar Series races this season was mentally challenging (unrelated to son Graham's results in the No. 02 McDonald's car for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing).

Bottom line: Sponsorship that fell through late in the game kept Rahal Letterman Racing off the grid full time in 2009, though the team principal and longtime compatriots long to return to the action.

"We're working hard to put cars on the circuit next year," said Rahal, who won the Indianapolis 500 as a driver (1986) and car co-owner (2004) among an arm's-length list of accomplishments. "It's always a little difficult to be on an IRL weekend and not have a team there. It's a change for us. Having said that, I want to make sure when we do come back it's properly funded because we've done it the other way and it's A. no fun and B. you can't put your best foot forward.

"And as I said, there's nothing more competitive than this series so why wouldn't you want to be a part of that? It wasn't our choice not to be in it this year, but unfortunately the events conspired against us and it's just a matter of 'OK, how do we get back?' ' More at IndyCar.com