Racing Organization Reaches Historic Milestone in its 52nd Year of Competition
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 16, 2018) – The most successful organization in the history of motorsports added another chapter to its legacy today as Team Penske earned its 500th all-time race victory. Brad Keselowski captured the checkered flag at today’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to record the landmark victory for the organization.
Led by “The Captain” Roger Penske, Team Penske was formed in 1966 after Roger Penske walked away from his promising career as a race car driver to focus on his developing automotive business and forming his own race team. Team Penske won the very first race it entered – the 1966 Daytona 24-hour sports car race – and it’s continued winning ever since.
“What an incredible finish in Las Vegas and an amazing way to earn Team Penske’s 500th victory,” said Roger Penske. “Great job by Brad (Keselowski) and the No. 2 Autotrader Ford team to start the Playoffs with a win and a great finish by all three of our cars today. We still have some work to do this afternoon in Sonoma as we try to get win number 501 and compete for the INDYCAR championship. Thanks to everyone throughout our organization for their hard work and all their dedication for helping us reach this special milestone of 500 wins.”
Celebrating its 52nd season of competition in 2018, Team Penske’s 500 all-time victories ranks as the highest win total among any team that has raced at the highest levels of professional motorsports across the globe.
Team Penske has recorded wins with 50 different drivers across 14 separate racing series over the course of its history. Driven by the simple yet proven philosophy of “Effort Equals Results,” Team Penske has generated consistent production in a sport that is constantly evolving through advancements in technology and safety. The organization has earned at least 39 race victories in each of the last six decades and it continues to raise its level of performance. The team has increased its victory total over each decade, winning over 190 races just since 2010.
Currently competing across five premier racing series in 2018, Team Penske has also posted some impressive statistics beyond its 500 wins. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have also produced 573 pole positions and 32 Championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 52-year history, the team has earned 17 Indianapolis 500 victories, a Formula 1 win and overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2018, Team Penske competes in the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The team also races in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, in a partnership with Dick Johnson Racing, as DJR Team Penske.
Several current and former Team Penske winning drivers commented on the accomplishment of reaching 500 all-time victories: (listed are the drivers’ accomplishments with Team Penske):
Rusty Wallace (Third-winningest Team Penske driver, 37 NASCAR Cup Series wins)
“Driving for Roger Penske is something every racing driver dreams of. It’s a true privilege. Team Penske is the most professional, polished and prepared team in racing and it all starts with Roger Penske’s vision and drive. I’m honored to consider Roger one of my best friends, and it was a privilege to help him get to win number 500. There are so many other people that have participated in Team Penske’s success other than drivers, though. From the team members, to the sponsors, to the manufacturers and of course, the fans. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved on a job well done.”
Brad Keselowski (2012 NASCAR Cup Champion, 2010 NASCAR XFINITY Champion, 59 total NASCAR wins)
“Winning 500 races as an organization is such an incredible accomplishment. Roger Penske was already in an elite category and this milestone only enhances that. I’m thrilled for Roger and everyone at Team Penske and I’m incredibly proud to drive for him.”
Rick Mears (Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, three-time INDYCAR Champion, 29 INDYCAR wins)
“This accomplishment is really a testament to why, if you’re a driver, you want to race for Roger Penske and his team, and why you’d want to stay with Roger and his team. Anyone in the sport knows that racing has its peaks and valleys and I knew when I was driving that with Team Penske there were going to be a lot less valleys, and those valleys were always shorter because of the team’s commitment to winning. Reaching 500 wins is really more proof of what racing means to Roger and everyone in the organization. It shows their continued dedication to the sport and how much Roger loves it and it’s still so important to him.”
Al Unser Jr. (1994 Indianapolis 500 winner, 1994 INDYCAR Champion, 12 INDYCAR wins)
“It was a great honor to drive for Roger Penske and to win the Indy 500 for him was super special. When I was growing up, watching Uncle Bobby and my Dad drive for him, it was awesome. Team Penske just set the standard for other teams to follow. I was proud to be a part of that and it’s a standard that still continues today. Five hundred wins. That number is just astounding.”
Will Power (2014 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion, 32 IndyCar Series wins)
“Congratulations to Roger Penske and the rest of the team on 500 wins as an organization. It’s pretty cool that Team Penske has reached that many wins and it is quite a milestone. I’m so fortunate to be one of the drivers to be a part of this team’s incredible history and am honored to be able to contribute to that number. The team has so many talented people between engineers, mechanics, fabricators and the list goes on and on. There are lot of wins still in the team’s future, and I know myself and my team can’t wait to help add to the growing number again.”
Joey Logano (2015 Daytona 500 Champion, 18 NASCAR Cup wins, 11 NASCAR XFINITY wins)
“500 wins in professional racing over a 50 year time span – that is just amazing to think about. Especially when you think about the amount of races, the amount of drivers and amount of wins over that long of a period. That is unheard of in any other form of motorsports or really in sports in general. That is something that Roger should be proud of. As a leader, he has selected some great people to help build a race team that can be so successful that they can collect 500 wins. I’m honored to be a part of that 500 and to see my name on that list of legends who have contributed.”
Danny Sullivan (1985 Indianapolis 500 winner, 1988 INDYCAR Champion, 12 INDYCAR wins)
“This is a great accomplishment, but I am not surprised. Team Penske is led by the most competitive, detailed and thorough team owner in racing. I was honored to have been a driver for the team and to have scored wins and a championship with a great group of people that made our dreams come true. Congratulations to Roger and everyone at Team Penske.”
Scott McLaughlin (DJR Team Penske Australian Supercars driver, 15 Supercars wins)
“Massive congratulations to Team Penske on reaching 500 wins as an organization. Each time you win for Team Penske it’s a dream come true and for me to add to the tally makes me extremely proud. Each time you roll out on the race track with a Penske car, you know you can win. Hopefully we can get to 1,000 wins sooner rather than later!”
Gil de Ferran (2003 Indianapolis 500 winner, two-time INDYCAR Champion, 9 INDYCAR wins)
“Five hundred wins is a number that’s so incredibly large, it is hard to even wrap your head around it! Most people’s careers don’t even come close to that number, never mind winning stretches that are so numerous and spanned for so long. So what does it mean? What does it say about Roger, his leadership and the whole Penske organization? Historical, singular, remarkable and every praise-worthy adjective is not enough to describe the man and the organization he built and has led for so many years. I can’t even fathom how hard it would be to sustain that level of success for such a long period of time! Congratulations Roger and Team Penske. I am so glad and thankful that our paths crossed. I am honored to have been a part of your team and happy to have contributed to a small portion of that incredible number. You are an inspiration to me every day! Cheers. Raise your glasses to the next 500!”
Simon Pagenaud (2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion, 7 IndyCar Series wins)
“Congratulations to Roger Penske and everyone at Team Penske for achieving 500 wins as an organization. It’s been incredible being a part of a team that has such amazing history, and having contributed to the number of wins. There’s a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into a milestone like that, and we are lucky to have so many talented people at Team Penske who can help give all of us drivers an opportunity to win each weekend in no matter what series we race in.”
Josef Newgarden (2017 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion, 7 IndyCar Series wins)
“It’s awesome that Team Penske has achieved 500 wins as an organization. The team has a long history and has been able to win in every series its raced in and that’s just remarkable. I’m proud to be one of the drivers who have contributed to that number for Roger Penske and the whole team. We’re lucky to be an organization with so many wins throughout our history and I know we have so many more down the road. A huge congrats to Roger and to everyone involved.”
Ryan Newman (2008 Daytona 500 winner, 24 NASCAR wins)
“It’s not just a coin – Effort Equals Results! That’s one of Roger Penske’s favorite phrases and it’s true. In order to achieve 500 wins, a lot of effort has been put forth. I’m honored to be a small part of this accomplishment. Congrats to the Captain and Team Penske on a major milestone!”
Sam Hornish Jr. (2006 Indianapolis 500 Champion, 2006 INDYCAR Champion, 3 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins)
“This accomplishment – 500 wins – is just staggering. Even just the amount of time it takes to reach a milestone like that is so impressive. To be so successful for such a long period of time, it really says a lot about Roger and all that Team Penske is as an organization. I don’t think there’s ever been anyone as committed to racing – and to winning – for over 50 years, as Roger Penske.”
Ryan Blaney (NASCAR Cup Series driver, 7 NASCAR XFINITY wins)
“Congratulations to Roger Penske and the entire Penske organization on 500 wins. It has been an honor to be a part of several of those victories over the last couple of years. Team Penske continues to set the bar as one of the top organizations not only in motorsports, but professional sports in general.”
Timo Bernhard (2007 and 2008 Sports car champion, 16 Sports car wins)
“I loved driving for Team Penske. We had tremendous success, especially with the Porsche RS Spyder in 2007 and 2008 in the ALMS championship and winning the 12 Hours of Sebring. During this time we reached the winning mark of 300 team victories. Now, only 10 years later, Team Penske has hit the 500 wins mark, which is incredible. Roger is an icon and definitely a role model if you want to succeed in Motorsport – he’s a pure racer. The dedication of Roger and Tim Cindric is felt throughout the whole team.”
Romain Dumas (2007 and 2008 Sports car champion, 16 Sports car wins)
“Five hundred wins, whoa! It’s such a remarkable number. Congrats to Roger Penske, Tim Cindric and the whole team. It shows how impressive the history of Team Penske is and how they’ve been successful at everything they do in racing. This is a unique accomplishment for a unique team. I am so proud and feel so blessed to have been part of this journey during our four seasons together. I have some of my best memories in racing with the Penske crew – the first win together at Mid-Ohio, the two championships in a row and, of course, the overall win at Sebring. It was an honor to work with these guys, at this level of competition and with the highest standards in our sport. I really enjoyed my time with Team Penske and all the wins. Reaching the 500 wins mark is simply awesome! We can only say BRAVO and respect!”
Fabian Coulthard (DJR Team Penske Australian Supercars driver, 5 Supercars wins)
“What an incredible milestone for Team Penske to reach 500 all-time wins. For a team to have won across so many categories over so many years is amazing, and something unique in the world of motorsport. I’m extremely proud to have played a part in the 500 wins, and it is an honor to add to the tally as a Team Penske driver. Congratulations to Roger and everyone involved at Team Penske over the years. Here’s to the next 500!”
