Bobby Rahal buys Lincoln Park mansion

Retired professional race car driver Bobby Rahal, who won the 1986 Indianapolis 500, moved from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio, in 1981, but the Glen Ellyn native never forgot his roots. A part-time Chicago resident from 2005 until 2008, Rahal, 57, now is set to make Chicago his exclusive home. He recently paid $3.295 million for a 12-room, 6,600-square-foot Lincoln Park mansion and also has listed his longtime six-bedroom, 13,192-square-foot mansion on 8 acres in New Albany, Ohio, for $4.75 million.

“In 2005, I bought a home on the same street as my new house," Rahal said in an exclusive interview. “I sold it (in 2008), but it always was my plan to come back to Chicago.; And my wife’s family and my family both are from the area. Chicago’s just a fabulous place to live. We love our house, and we love our street."

Rahal co-owns the Hilliard, Ohio-based Rahal Letterman Racing Team, just outside Columbus, with talk-show host and good friend David Letterman. Rahal said “right now, my plan would be to keep Rahal Letterman Racing in Hilliard."

“We’ve got a nice facility there and a lot of people working there," Rahal said. “I can be there a lot. The distance from Chicago isn’t onerous."

Rahal also said that he doesn’t plan to keep a home in Columbus after he sells his mansion there. He said he has “had some bites" from potential buyers, but “nothing to the level where I’m ready to say, ‘deal.’" Chicago Breaking News