American Legion, Chip Ganassi Racing ‘an amazing opportunity we have’

American Legion Past National Commander Denise Rohan attended her first auto racing event last weekend and ended up in victory lane at Road America.

Rohan, who served as national commander from 2017 to 2018, is a member of American Legion Post 385 in Verona, Wis. She was among many members of the Department of Wisconsin American Legion Family that attended the REV Group Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES contest at Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wis., last weekend. 

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou won the thrilling 55-lap battle to score the second INDYCAR win of his career and regain the championship lead in the point standings. Palou’s No. 10 Honda car has sported American Legion livery in two previous races this season.  

Rohan celebrated Palou’s win in Victory Lane, but also spent time with The American Legion’s primary driver in INDYCAR, the famed seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to have a relationship with Jimmie Johnson and the whole Chip Ganassi team,” Rohan said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity. With our initiative about veteran suicide prevention … and to have Jimmie Johnson as a spokesman, it is a great opportunity.

The combination of The American Legion, Chip Ganassi Racing and INDYCAR have been so successful, Rohan admits thinking, “Why didn’t we do this earlier?” But she also realizes the timing had to be right for this type of program to flourish.

“You do have a ‘I should have had a V-8’ moment, but I do believe having Dean (Kessel, Legion’s chief marketing officer) in place, he was the key to getting this going,” Rohan said. “It was right time, right place with Jimmie switching from NASCAR to INDYCAR, it was the right opportunity.

“It’s an amazing opportunity that we have. The Legion tried a NASCAR thing several years ago, but it wasn’t the right fit. Dean Kessel being on board is a big part of it, too. Chip Ganassi’s love and understanding of what The American Legion does now and the same with Jimmie Johnson, a lot of people have a misunderstanding of what The American Legion is all about.

“We’re more than just that building on Main Street and we’re more than people that march in the parade. We’re so much more.

“Partner that with eliminating veterans’ suicide, if you look at all of the things that The American Legion has done throughout its history, it’s a perfect fit. We took care of the World War II vets, the Korean War Vets, the Vietnam War vets, we have taken care of all of them.”

Rohan looks forward to one day meeting Tony Kanaan after seeing how well he represented The American Legion at the 105th Indianapolis 500 in May. 

“They seem like amazing men,” she said. “I definitely watch INDYCAR racing now. This has made a fan out of me.”