ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (February 15, 2024) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Takuma Sato, will return to the team for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500. AMADA AMERICA, Inc. a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, will be the primary sponsor for 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 winner Sato’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry in the May 26 event.
Sato competed for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-2021. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020. Most recently, Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023. The 2024 Indy 500 will mark his 15th time to participate in the Indianapolis 500 and sixth with RLL.
AMADA was the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30, 2023 and this will be their first time to participate in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” They will also be a major associate sponsor of the No. 30 entry driven by Pietro Fittipaldi for the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, near their Buena Park, Calif. headquarters.
Sato, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has made 220 starts in the INDYCAR SERIES since his rookie season in 2010, which is sixth among active drivers and 22nd all-time. His Indy car highlights include wins in the 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500, 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, 2018 Portland Grand Prix, 2019 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and Bommarito 500 at WWT Raceway, with four of the six coming with RLL. Of his 14 podium finishes to date, 10 have come with RLL as have three of his 10 Indy car poles. Prior to joining the INDYCAR SERIES, he competed in 90 Formula One races between 2002-2008 with his highest finish of third at the 2004 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 20th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 108th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, Sept. 15. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service or USA Network. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.
About AMADA AMERICA, Inc.
AMADA AMERICA, INC. is headquartered in Buena Park, California. AMADA is the leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry. The AMADA brand represents Quality, Service, and Sustainability. AMADA machine tools consistently set global standards for performance and reliability. Each year, AMADA continues to develop and perfect innovative sheet metal manufacturing solutions with the objective of maximizing our customers’ productivity.
About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2024, the team will compete in its 33rd year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 111 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 23 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 101 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2024 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.
QUOTEBOARD
TAKUMA SATO, Driver of the No. 75 AMADA Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I’m absolutely thrilled to make my return to the 108th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. A heartfelt thank you to Bobby, Mike, and David and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity. Gratitude overflows as I am driving the No. 75 entry with primary sponsorship from AMADA. My journey with RLL spans over a decade marked by shared successes and rejoining the team fills me with immense excitement. Here’s to reconnecting with familiar faces and forging new alliances. I just can’t wait to get to work.”
STEPHEN KEATING, EVP of Sales & Key Accounts, AMADA: “We are incredibly excited to partner with the renowned Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team at the 108th running of the Indy 500! Our partnership signifies a joint commitment to engineering excellence and innovation. We eagerly anticipate that this iconic race will demonstrate the strong collaboration between our two technology-driven organizations.”
BOBBY RAHAL, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “We’re very pleased to welcome back Takuma to the team. We obviously had a great deal of success together and as I’ve said many times, Takuma’s spirit is something that motivates not only me and the entire team, but also his fans. We’re looking forward to his contributions and having a successful Indy 500.
“We were actively looking for a machine tool company a few years ago that could give us a competitive advantage, and we got to know AMADA and learn more about the tremendous machines and the technology services they provide. And, of course, our facility is a showcase for some of their technology in our production area. After having them with us as a primary sponsor in 2023, we’re thrilled that the relationship continues to grow. I can’t imagine a better match than AMADA, Takuma and our team.”
MIKE LANIGAN, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “It’s exciting to have Takuma return to the team for the Indianapolis 500. As he has shown, he knows how to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his experience will add value to our overall program. It’s also particularly exciting to have a globally-recognized company like AMADA join us in this program after first working together in 2023.”