Roger Penske facts for kids
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Penske in 2023
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| Born | Roger Searle Penske February 20, 1937 Shaker Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| 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 businessman and former race car driver. He owns a big racing team called Team Penske. He also owns the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar racing series. Roger Penske started and leads the Penske Corporation, which is a large company with many different businesses. He even received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a very special award in the U.S.
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Roger Penske's Early Life and School
Roger Penske was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1937. As a boy, he was very involved with his church. His father, Jay, was a successful business executive. He encouraged Roger to become an entrepreneur, someone who starts and runs businesses.
When Roger was a teenager, he started his first business. He would buy old cars, fix them up, and then sell them for a profit. He graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1955. Later, he earned a degree from Lehigh University in 1959.
Roger Penske's Racing Career
Roger Penske started his racing journey in hillclimbing, which is a type of race up a hill. He then moved on to road course racing. He raced Porsches as part of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). His first professional race was at the Marlboro Motor Raceway in Maryland.
Sports Illustrated magazine named him the SCCA Driver of the Year in 1961. He raced in two Formula One Grand Prix events. He also won a NASCAR race in California in 1963. Even though he was a talented driver, he never raced in the famous Indianapolis 500.
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. His team quickly became one of the most successful in IndyCar Series and NASCAR racing.
Penske's team has won the Indianapolis 500 an amazing 20 times, more than any other team owner. Because of his success, people often call him "The Captain." He also used to help plan race strategies for his IndyCar team.
Penske's team won its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2012 with driver Brad Keselowski. In 2018, his team achieved its 500th race victory across all racing series. Later that same year, driver Joey Logano won another championship for Penske 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. It owns many different businesses.
Some of these businesses include:
- Penske Automotive Group: This company runs car dealerships in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.
- Penske Truck Leasing: This company sells and leases trucks. It also helps maintain truck fleets.
- Penske Motor Group: This group operates car dealerships in California and Texas.
In 2019, Roger Penske bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a famous 2.5-mile race track in Indiana. He also bought the Indianapolis 500-mile race and the IndyCar racing series from the Hulman Family.
Roger Penske's Personal Life
As of October 2023, Roger Penske's wealth is estimated to be $3.8 billion.
Penske has been involved in politics. He supported Donald Trump in the 2020 United States presidential election. This was after he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.
Awards and Honors
Roger Penske has received many awards for his achievements in racing and business.
Auto Racing Awards
- Six-time IndyCar Series Champion as owner (2006, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022)
- Five-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion as owner (2012, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- 1990 Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- 2018 Simeone Foundation Spirit of Competition Award
Halls of Fame
- 1995 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee
- 1998 International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee
- 2002 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame inductee
- 2015 Automotive Hall of Fame inductee
- 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
National Awards
- 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
Images for kids
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The 1994 Indy 500 winning Penske PC23 car, driven by Al Unser Jr.
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Roger Penske in 2005
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Roger Penske (right) with President Donald Trump (center) and racing driver Joey Logano (left) at the White House in 2019.
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See also
In Spanish: Roger Penske para niños
