Racing involvement exceeding expectations for Past National Commander Rehbein

American Legion Past National Commander David Rehbein and his wife were special guests of the American Legion and Chip Ganassi Racing at last weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle. The Ames, Iowa, Post 37 member spent time with Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Honda in the NTT INDYCAR Series. as well as Alex Palou, who carried The American Legion colors as his primary sponsor on the No. 10 Honda in both races.

For Rehbein, the weekend with INDYCAR was like coming home again to the racing series that he originally followed, but eventually left.

Rehbein remembers the days of listening to the Indianapolis 500 on the car radio on his way to Memorial Day Services at cemeteries throughout the United States.

In the mid-1990s, however, he began to pay more attention to NASCAR because of split between CART and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the creation of the old Indy Racing League.

“Frankly, I’m one of the INDYCAR fans that they lost during the split,” Rehbein said at Belle Isle. “I spent way more time with NASCAR.

“This initiative and Jimmie Johnson and what they are doing here is what drew me back to INDYCAR, and I think it’s going to bring a lot of other people back to INDYCAR, as well as to the organization.”

Rehbein has become a major supporter of the Legion’s involvement with Chip Ganassi Racing and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “When this opportunity first came to us, I thought it was a good thing,” he recalled. “I’ve been a race fan for a long time, so I understood the value of sponsorship and what comes along with that. But this has turned into so much more than that original offer. I think it is really going to be successful in getting our name out to the veterans around the country and what we do, not just the suicide prevention program that is coming along with this, but all of the other things we do.

“Like the hearing aids that I wear. I’m service connected. If it hadn’t been for the American Legion, I wouldn’t have them.”

Rehbein believes the relationship between the American Legion, INDYCAR and Jimmie Johnson is a great combination for many reasons. It helps raise more awareness for The American Legion, which has seen its geographic and demographic base change over the years.

“The Legion’s strength has been in towns of 25,000 and less, but that’s not where the younger veterans are going,” Rehbein explained. “They are going to the cities to work. We need something like this that is nationwide publicity that will penetrate into those places where the new generation of veterans are living now.”

When the NTT INDYCAR SERIES competes in races in such urban areas as Detroit, it helps attract urban veterans to consider joining The American Legion as members. By attracting an organization such as The American Legion, INDYCAR benefits by exposing its product to the Legion’s 5 million members.

“I think we all understand that the relationship between Jimmie Johnson and INDYCAR came partially because they wanted to use his name and reputation to grow their viewer base, and I think it’s working,” Rehbein said. “I think it will really work for them.

“We had our post meeting last Thursday night and I told them they needed to have the TV on both Saturday and Sunday because Alex Palou was driving the No. 10 car and Jimmie Johnson was driving the No. 48 car at Detroit. I found a lot of members that knew more about INDYCAR racing than I could have ever imagined, and I’ve known these guys for 25 years.”

Military veterans and auto racing have enjoyed a long history together. The first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 was held on Memorial Day to create a sporting spectacle that would honor those who gave their lives in defense of freedom. With the exception of one year during World War I and four years during World War II, and last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic – when the race took place Aug. 23 – the Indianapolis 500 has been the featured sporting event on the Memorial Day Weekend holiday.

Many of today’s veterans also worked with the latest in technology. INDYCAR racing has always featured automotive technology, creating a unique cross-appeal.

“The military uses that same kind of high-tech stuff,” Rehbein said. “I was at Iowa State University as a material scientist. That is what I did with my career. I was familiar with a lot of the stuff that was going into the car here. The military is doing the same thing, like the new armors for armored vehicles and planes and armored aircraft.

“Those young soldiers, sailors, men and women come out of the military and have the skill to work in places like this because they already have the training.”

As Rehbein and his wife took in the action from Palou’s pit area at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park, he beamed with a sense of pride at how perfectly The American Legion fits with this growing series.

“I believe this program and our involvement in racing has turned out to be much more than I anticipated it might be,” Rehbein admitted. “If we can really make that connection with the suicide prevention program in this country, we can do a lot of great things.

“I think this is an excellent investment.”