Graham Rahal has been one of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s biggest developers of new sponsors and business-to-business partners since he joined the family-owned team in 2013. The driver of the No. 15 Honda has also started a number of businesses outside of racing that have become increasingly successful.

As he approaches the final years of his full-time driving career, the Ohioan wants to put his business savvy to use in ways that would help young drivers to meet the steep financial demands that come with learning to race in the various development series.

“One of the things that’s been in my mind lately is to come up with a scholarship fund for young drivers,” Rahal told RACER. “And when I say a scholarship fund, I mean getting a bunch of successful business owners that out of the goodness of their heart want to put money into a money-market fund that goes towards helping drivers starting out. Maybe it’s in the Radical series where we race [ED: Rahal owns the Rahal Radical Indianapolis team], and the next step is to go into the USF Championships.

“And I’m not talking about being able to pay for a whole season. What I’m talking about is that we can help subsidize careers until they get to the top. Being able to help where it’s needed to keep the talent moving up the ladder. No strings attached. You don’t owe anything back.”

There are a few programs that operate in a similar capacity, but come with contracts that require repayment through future earning and, in some cases, saddle the drivers with a career-long obligation to send the investor an annual percentage from their salaries if they reach a top-tier series.

As Rahal contemplates how his program might be structured, the lack of repayment is significant, but having the opportunity to hold onto the finer talent is under consideration.

“The only thing I would probably work towards is that if you make it, RLL has the right to be your team, or get first dibs when you get to the top,” he said. “Because with the investment, I’m not talking about turning this into a big marketing ploy, because I see too many kids who have talent and for whatever reason, they only get so far and then they need help financially or are at risk of going away. And if we’re able to be that help, and there’s something there, I don’t think it’s wrong to have it so RLL has an option there.”

Rahal’s story of losing his full-time IndyCar ride after the 2009 season and spending the offseason and portions of 2010 driving around the Midwest to pitch and secure sponsors to keep his career afloat is something he also sees as a valuable educational tool for any next-generation drivers his scholarship would support.

“I’ve been coming across kids lately who have the talent, but it is so obvious they don’t have the work ethic,” Rahal said. “That’s not the kid that I want to put my money behind. I’ve been able to identify some talent over the last 12 months. So for me, I’ve been just thinking about how I can have an effect on the part that doesn’t involve driving, because that’s just as important – maybe more important these days – than anything else.

“I was fortunate for one thing in my life, and it wasn’t just to have my dad as my dad. It was more to have my dad’s work ethic imposed on me. Yeah, my name was Rahal and yeah, I won races at the junior level, but I also have a relentless work ethic, off the track, that I’m proud of, and most don’t. And I feel like that’s something I can bring to young drivers.

“Just show them how sponsorship is so important, developing the media relations, B2B, and thinking about all of these steps that’s more impactful than having one or two extra wins in your career. Seeing the full picture is the best way to have a long career in this sport. It takes more than just being a good driver. So I’m wanting to do something to help these kids get to the next level.”