Graham Rahal's closet is getting full, and not only with the designer duds the IndyCar driver prefers.
In a sartorial chronicle of his career, the 21-year-old collects the firesuits he wears during races.
He just never expected his collection to get so big so fast. Rahal, the son of 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal, has spent 2010 in search of a ride, driving four different cars for four different teams. It's not the kind of path he envisioned when he became the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race two years ago at St. Petersburg.
He's arguably the best young American driver on the circuit, an Ohio native who comes from one of open-wheel racing's first families. And he's spent half the season looking for a job.
Welcome to life in IndyCar.
''If you're one of the best guys in any other sport, all you're worried about next year is what team and how much money you're going to make,'' he said. ''Here, it's if you're going to be here still. That's what's tough about this.''
Now Rahal is back to where he once belonged, signing a deal with Newman/Haas Racing last month to finish the season. He'll race everywhere but Kentucky the rest of the way.
Is driving part time - technically speaking - what he wants? No. Does he have a choice? Not really.
Then again it beats what he did during races at Kansas, Texas, Watkins Glen and Edmonton, sitting at home while the series went on without him.
''It's no fun whatsoever,'' he said.
Not when compared to getting behind the wheel. Rahal's deal with Newman/Haas started in Toronto last month, and he didn't hesitate to mix it up, starting a war of words with Ryan Briscoe when he nudged Briscoe out of the way. Rahal finished fifth while Briscoe faded to 18th.
Later Briscoe went to his Twitter account to blast Rahal, calling him a ''part-time'' driver who can afford to take chances because he's not battling for a points title.
Rahal bristles at being called a part-timer. He believed he had a deal for a full-time gig this season only to have it fall through over the winter.
''We all know the only reason I'm not here (full time) is because of issues that were out of my reach,'' he said. ''I certainly wouldn't have expected to be in this position.''
He's tried to make the best of it. He hooked up with Sarah Fisher Racing for three events at the beginning of the season, an experience Fisher described as a learning experience for her team.
''It was awesome,'' she said.
Even if Fisher allows she was surprised someone of Rahal's caliber found himself without a regular ride even as less accomplished drivers found spots.
''We have stars who may not excel in one area, but may have a link or an ability to go in and sell partnerships,'' she said. ''There are so many different elements with it. What we were able to do with him at the beginning of the year is, 'here's a program, go drive it.'''
Rahal finished ninth in St. Petersburg, but the results tailed off from there. He was 17th in Alabama and 22nd in Long Beach.
After that he headed to Indy, where he finished 12th while driving for his father. Then he subbed for the injured Mike Conway in the No. 24 at Iowa.
The carousel finally came to a stop back where it started at Newman/Haas. It's a spot he's comfortable with, one where he believes he has a chance to be competitive every weekend.
It certainly looked like it at his home track - at least for a day. Rahal led practice on Friday before things went awry. He qualified 25th then endured an eventful afternoon that included a spin into the gravel on his way to finishing 20th.
''It was a difficult weekend,'' he said.
The good news is that there are more opportunities on the horizon. He's got two weeks to get ready for Sonoma and is hopeful the money to run Kentucky will come along. There's only one real way to guarantee it: get to the front and stay there.
''I hope that we can get into somewhat of a rhythm,'' he said. ''It's a team I'm familiar with. ... I feel like as long as we can get a few races back together and run well, it only makes expectations each and every weekend higher.''
It's still too early to think about next season, though it's always there in the back of his mind. If he has to skip from team to team to get in a car, he'll do it. At least he's driving, right?
''It's been a great learning experience to see how really four different teams operate,'' he said. ''I wouldn't wish it upon anybody, but it is good to see and hopefully (as a driver have really improved and gotten better because of it.''
