Hunter-Reay wins IRL ROY

With today’s result in the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, Rahal Letterman Racing’s Ryan Hunter-Reay clinched the Bombardier Learjet Rookie-of-the-Year Award, driving the #17 Ethanol Dallara/Honda/Firestone.

Hunter-Reay sets a new IndyCar Series record by taking top rookie honors, winning the award with the fewest starts (6). He breaks the old record of eight starts by a Rookie-of-the-Year winner, which was shared by Robby Unser and Scott Harrington.

Hunter-Reay becomes the second driver to win the IndyCar Series Rookie-of-the Year award for Rahal Letterman Racing, joining recipient Danica Patrick.

Rahal Letterman Racing today became the first team in the 10 year history of the IndyCar Series to win the Rookie-of-the-Year award on two occasions.

Ryan is the third driver to win top IndyCar rookie honors despite not being with his team at the start of the season. Hunter-Reay replaced Jeff Simmons at Mid-Ohio and ran the final six events. He joins 2003 award winner Dan Wheldon and 1998 honoree Robby Unser as the only drivers to accomplish that feat.

He becomes the first IndyCar driver to win the award without logging a top-five finish, although he became the first IndyCar driver in six seasons to score top-seven finishes in each of his first two series starts.