Funny Letterman serious about racing

Thursday, March 26, 1998 | 4:56 a.m.

By MIKE HARRIS

AP Motorsports Writer

David Letterman makes a pretty good living joking around. Sometimes, it's hard to get him to be serious.

But one thing that gets the star of CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" to talk straight is his part ownership of Team Rahal in the CART FedEx Championship Series.

Bobby Rahal, the principal owner of the team and a three-time series champion, has begun his final trip around the circuit as a driver. But Letterman says that isn't going to affect their relationship or his commitment to the team.

"You know, I think when Bobby told me that he was retiring, I was thinking to myself: 'When do I get to retire?' When I get to retire, I'll actually have a life," Letterman said. "I'll be able to participate."

Finding time for his great off-stage passion has been the biggest problem for Letterman, whose interest in auto racing began as a youngster at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500.

"The fact that I still have this job is the single biggest detriment to enjoying my relationship with the team," Letterman said. "I'm looking forward to my own retirement in that sense."

His career certainly has cut into his enjoyment of racing.

"What I had envisioned for myself was a lovely way to spend spring and summer," he said "But, unfortunately, because I'm working, you know, like 48 weeks out of the year, I can only come to a few events.

"My hope is, eventually, when the schedule changes, that I can actually show up at more of these. But I'm in it (racing) 'til they throw me out or until I drop dead in the pits."

Letterman likes the way Rahal is going out.

"It's great when you see somebody do something exactly right," he said. "It's great to see somebody do it with grace, the kind of thing that is just the perfect complement to a lovely career.

"Not everybody is lucky enough to call their own shots. Not everybody is lucky or smart enough to form and shape their own destiny. ... When you look around show business, nobody is really smart enough to handle it this way."

Rahal, in Japan for the inaugural Budweiser 500 on Saturday at the new Twin Motegi oval, said his partnership with Letterman is one reason he's happy to be continuing in the sport as an owner.

"David and I have a partnership as friends and as compatriots," he explained. "That's irrespective of my being a driver.

Retirement is attractive to Rahal for more reasons than one.

"In fact, if anything, it's going to give me more time to make sure to help Dave get to more of the races," he said. "We look forward to the day when he's able to spend more time with us."

Despite his lack of time away from his TV responsibilities, Letterman also has become involved with Tim Moser, who is driving an Indy Lights car this season.

Indy Lights is a steppingstone series to CART.

"Everybody knows it's tough for a kid who decides he wants to go and do professional motorsports," Letterman said. "The odds, they're incalculable. ... I met this guy and some others at Jim Hall's go-cart school four or five years ago. They're really nice kids.

"Like everybody else, they were looking to get a ride here, looking to get a ride there, just chasing it. So, just as a hoot, I said, 'If there's anything I can do, let me know.' Of course, if I'd realized what I could do was give them money, I would have kept my mouth shut."

Moser will make his Lights debut April 5 at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

That investment in a young driver, as well as his ongoing commitment to Team Rahal, pretty much ensures that Letterman is going to be around the open-wheel sport for some time.

Of course, it's hard for him to remain serious for long.

"People keep asking me what I get out of racing," Letterman deadpanned. "A couple of years ago, when Bobby switched to Ford (engines), I was hoping to get a deal on a Taurus. But that never really saw the light of day."