Roger Penske Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Roger Penske
Formula One World Championship career
Penske in 2023
Born	Roger Searle Penske (1937-02-20) February 20, 1937 (age 88) Shaker Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Nationality	American
Active years	1961–1962
Teams	Non-works Cooper and Lotus
Entries	2
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1961 United States Grand Prix
Last entry	1962 United States Grand Prix

Roger Searle Penske (born February 20, 1937) is a famous American figure in auto racing and business. People often call him "the Captain." He used to be a professional race car driver. Today, he owns Team Penske, the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the IndyCar racing series. He also leads the Penske Corporation, which is a big company that includes many of his businesses. Roger Penske has even received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is a very high honor in the United States.

Roger Penske's Early Life and Education
Roger Penske's Racing Career
Roger Penske's Racing Teams
The Penske Corporation
Roger Penske's Personal Life
Awards and Honors
Images for kids
See also

Roger Penske's Early Life and Education

Roger Penske was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1937. His family was very involved in their church. As a boy, he sang in the choir and helped with church services. His father, Jay, was a successful business executive. He encouraged Roger to become an entrepreneur, which means someone who starts and runs businesses.

As a teenager, Roger started his first business. He would buy old cars, fix them up, and then sell them for a profit. He did this right from his family's home in Ohio. After finishing Shaker Heights High School in 1955, he went to Lehigh University. He graduated from college in 1959.

Roger Penske's Racing Career

Roger Penske started his racing journey by competing in "hillclimbing" events. These are races where cars drive up a steep hill as fast as possible. He then moved on to road course racing. He raced Porsche cars at places like Vineland Raceway in New Jersey. His first professional race was at Marlboro Motor Raceway in Maryland.

In 1961, Sports Illustrated magazine named him the SCCA Driver of the Year. He also competed in two Formula One Grand Prix races. In 1963, he won a NASCAR race in California. Roger Penske never raced in the famous Indianapolis 500 himself. He was offered a chance to test for it, but he didn't take it.

Penske stopped racing as a driver in 1965. He decided to focus on his first Chevrolet car dealership in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Roger Penske's Racing Teams

Roger Penske started his own racing team, Penske Racing, in 1966. Their first race was the 24 Hours of Daytona. Over the years, he built one of the most successful teams in both IndyCar Series and NASCAR racing. He is known for his incredible success at the Indianapolis 500 race. His teams have won the Indy 500 a record 20 times!

His nickname, "The Captain," shows how respected he is in the racing world. Roger Penske also helped plan race strategies for his IndyCar team. He worked closely with drivers like Will Power.

Penske's team won its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2012 with driver Brad Keselowski. On September 16, 2018, Brad Keselowski won a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This win was special because it was Penske's 500th victory as a team owner across all racing series. Later that same year, another of his drivers, Joey Logano, won the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This gave Penske his second championship in the Cup series.

The Penske Corporation

Roger Penske is the chairman of the Penske Corporation. This big company is based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The company owns many different businesses. For example, it has a large part of Penske Automotive Group. This is an international company that runs car dealerships in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.

Another part of his company is Penske Truck Leasing. This business sells and leases trucks and also helps maintain truck fleets. Penske Motor Group operates car dealerships in California and Texas.

In November 2019, Roger Penske made a huge purchase. He bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 race, and the entire IndyCar series. He bought them from the Hulman Family. This made him the owner of one of the most famous racetracks and racing series in the world.

Roger Penske's Personal Life

Roger Penske is a very successful businessman. He has been recognized for his achievements. In 2019, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian award in the United States. On April 9, 2025, Penske and his racing teams visited the White House.

Penske (right) with President Donald Trump (center) and racing driver Joey Logano (left) at the White House in 2019

Penske (left) with President Donald Trump (right) at The White House in 2025

Awards and Honors

Roger Penske has received many awards and honors for his contributions to auto racing and business.

Auto Racing Achievements

Six-time IndyCar Series Champion as an owner (2006, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022)
Five-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion as an owner (2012, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024)
1990 Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
2018 Simeone Foundation Spirit of Competition Award recipient