Roger Penske 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame acceptance speech

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Hear Roger Penske as he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame.

 

CRANDALL: Shock waves, surprises and success along the Penske Way

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emailBy: Kelly Crandall | 11 hours ago

On Monday morning, Roger Penske’s purchase of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NTT IndyCar series and IMS Productions became complete. By Monday evening, Penske had shaken up and realigned all three of his NASCAR Cup Series teams.

All of those moves initially triggered shock waves; yet in the end, none were at all surprising. Penske, 82, is a savvy entrepreneur who has been rewarded richly with success in most venues that he has entered.
Never one to overlook a small detail or shrug off a tough decision. Image by LePage/LAT

Penske knows what he is doing and when to do it, which is the easy answer to those who first asked ‘why?’ regarding the crew chief – and subsequent road and pit crew – changes of his three Cup Series contenders.

It was not as if Team Penske struggled in 2019 or had been floundering in recent years. Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney all won races last season in addition to once again qualifying for the post season. They wound up fifth (Logano), seventh (Blaney), and eighth (Keselowski) in the overall standings, all three building strong relationships with their crew chiefs.

Keselowski and Paul Wolfe had been one of the most successful and longest-running pairings in the Cup Series, with 29 wins in 317 races plus the 2012 championship. Logano won 21 times with Todd Gordon while capturing the 2018 title. Blaney and Jeremy Bullins began their Cup partnership at Wood Brothers Racing and now have three wins together.

All three pairings have been shuffled for 2020.

“As we do after the completion of each season, we evaluated what we can do to better achieve our goals, and we felt it was time to make these changes to better position us to reach our potential,” said Penske. “We are fortunate that we have three very strong leaders in Paul, Todd, and Jeremy, who work with experienced and talented crews. Pairing each of these winning teams with different drivers and cars should provide new energy and a fresh approach for the 2020 season.”
The No. 12 team seemed in need of a spark, and Blaney gets it in 2020 in the form of new crew chief Todd Gordon. Image by Kinrade/LAT

If anything, an argument could have centered on Blaney’s No. 12 Ford Mustang needing a bit of a spark. Although they have been in the mix, Blaney and Bullins have seemed to be a step behind their teammates since moving in-house in 2018. The duo’s two wins in two years pale in comparison to Keselowski’s six and Logano’s five during that same timespan.

It would have been a safe bet to say all three would have been contenders again this year. But championship-winning, Indianapolis 500-dominating, Hall of Fame-resident (of multiple places) Penske isn’t in the racing business just to be good when his organization is capable of being great.

Contentment with the status quo is not Penske’s style. Mix in the disappointment of the somewhat quick eliminations of Keselowski and Logano in the playoffs, and a shakeup was never out of the realm of possibility.

Being great is a necessity nowadays in the Cup Series to compete with a dominant manufacturer in Toyota and an organization like Joe Gibbs Racing which won just about everything last year.

Plus, there is strong competition from within the Ford camp, with the ever-present Kevin Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing.

Penske is meticulous in everything he does; no detail is too small, and no stone goes unturned. While some might not take it seriously, the ‘Penske Way’ does exist and is a way of life for all those associated with him, down to the starched white button-up shirts and black slacks.

Just as Penske made a list of things that could be improved at Indianapolis upon the heralded race track’s acquisition, he undoubtedly weighed all options and scenarios in changing around his NASCAR Cup Series teams. None of the accolades bestowed upon Penske have been by chance, but all have been earned through a commitment to excellence and lack of fear in making necessary decisions – especially the tough ones that few others see coming, yet seem perfectly understandable in the end.

Brad Keselowski, Ford, Joey Logano, Roger Penske, Ryan Blaney, Cup Series, Insights & Analysis, NASCAR

 

Penske reshuffles Cup crew chiefs

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emailBy: Kelly Crandall | January 6, 2020 1:39 PM

All three Team Penske drivers will work with a different crew chief this season after the organization realigned its personnel.

Paul Wolfe (pictured) will work with 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano on the No. 22 Ford Mustang. A nine-year veteran of the series, Wolfe won the 2012 championship with Brad Keselowski. In 317 races as a crew chief – all with Keselowski – Wolfe has earned 29 career wins.

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Todd Gordon will move from working with Logano to the No. 12 Ford Mustang with driver Ryan Blaney. Gordon had been paired with Logano for the last seven seasons during which time they won 21 races, including the 2015 Daytona 500, as well as the 2018 championship. He previously worked with AJ Allmendinger and Sam Hornish during the 2012 season.

Lastly, Jeremy Bullins transitions from Blaney’s No. 12 Ford Mustang to the No. 2 of Keselowski. The 2020 season will be Bullins’s fifth full year as a Cup Series crew chief, and his first with a driver other than Blaney.

In addition to the crew chief changes, the road and pit crews for each team will follow their respective crew chiefs to their new positions. The spotters for the three drivers will remain in place.

“As we do after the completion of each season, we evaluated what we can do to better achieve our goals and we felt it was time to make these changes to better position us to reach our potential,” said team owner Roger Penske.

“We are fortunate that we have three very strong leaders in Paul, Todd, and Jeremy, who work with experienced and talented crews. Pairing each of these winning teams with different drivers and cars should provide new energy and a fresh approach for the 2020 season.”

All three drivers made the NASCAR Playoffs last year and finished inside the top 10 in points. Logano was the highest-finish driver when he ended the year fifth in the overall standings. Between the three drivers, Team Penske won six races.

Team Penske, NASCAR

 

Penske’s solid foundation for growth at Indy

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emailBy: Robin Miller | 6 hours ago

A little more money for the regulars and a lot more consideration for the paying customers were the two main takeaways from Roger Penske’s update on the 2020 Indianapolis 500 but The Captain is also looking down the road at how to secure the foundation of the NTT IndyCar Series.

Just a couple months after his blockbuster purchase of IMS and IndyCar, Penske went over some details and improvements for the 104th running of the race he’s owned figuratively for four decades.

And it was good news for the full-time teams as well as the 200,000-plus fans that grace the Indianapolis Motor Speedway once a year.

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In increasing the purse $2 million to a record $15 million (it’s been $13m for a decade), the bump was aimed at the 22 full-time competitors that comprise the Leader’s Circle.

Asked if he would consider using his vast marketing reach to find a title sponsor for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the owner whose cars have been to Victory Lane 18 times in the past 50 years instead replied:

“We need to support the 22 people who go race-to-race-to-race. When you look at the opportunity to add additional cars, this year I would assume that eight or nine additional cars will probably come from that group. So our focus is as we add to the purse, those 22 people have the opportunity to get that additional compensation.”

A year after musing about guaranteed starting spots for the full-timers, Penske said that wouldn’t happen but this was a good way to protect and serve his constituents. They will realize $125,000 extra per Leader Circle franchise, which isn’t much, but it can at least pay the tire bill for the month.

The other competition news was that the Last Row Shootout has been increased to 75 minutes on NBC. So instead of getting just one shot to bump your way into the last row like a year ago, now the teams vying for spots 31-33 can make multiple attempts under the clock.

This also gives a full-time squad another mulligan if things go awry like it did for SPM in 2018 or McLaren last May.
Roger Penske is focusing on securing IndyCar’s current engine supplier’s future in the sport first. Image by LAT

As for finding a third engine manufacturer, it was assumed that the man with teams powered by Chevrolet, Honda and Ford in IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR has spent the past two months knocking on the doors of Ford, Toyota and Audi.

“To be honest, I’ve spent more time meeting with Chevrolet and Honda about extending their contracts, because that is key going forward,” said the largest Toyota dealer in North America. “I want to make sure that Honda and Chevy are in for the long term, then we can approach other OEMs to get a third manufacturer. I’ve got some candidates but the top priority today is continuing with our two partners.”

But Penske did what he promised a few months ago and listened to the fans who voiced their displeasure with either the lack of information during the race or ability to see the action — or both. So 30 large-screen video boards will be erected around the track (including 24 around paddock seating) in addition to equipping the seven screens in the infield with a constant running order.
Plans for expanded use of video boards is just one element of Penske’s program aimed at upgrading the fan experience. Image rendering courtesy of IMS

“I think we really have to think about what goes on inside the track today. The drivers and the teams, the information we have technically at our fingertips during the race is key,” continued Penske.

“People have asked, sitting in certain parts of this Speedway, and they don’t know what’s going on so we want to do whatever is possible to make connectivity immediate for our fans.”

In addition to refurbishing 125 restrooms, IMS is also opening up the pedestrian space behind the grandstands on Georgetown Road, where there is little room to breath or walk before and after the race.
A pedestrian walkway along Georgetown Road will make getting in and out of the Speedway easier. Image rendering courtesy of IMS

The other space a lot of us want to see opened up is in the four corners of IMS but The Captain said he had no plans to re-install the apron where Rick Mears and Michael Andretti traded the lead in 1991.

“I don’t want to tear up the track, let’s get the race run,” he said with a grin. “I think the racing has been damn good the last few years without the apron.”

And the whole experience figures to get better and better in the next few years.



Indy 500, Roger Penske, IndyCar, Insights & Analysis

 

Penske unveils wide-ranging enhancements to IMS, Indy 500

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emailBy: Mark Glendenning | 9 hours ago

Penske has unveiled a wide-ranging plan to boost the Indianapolis 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that includes the largest Indy 500 purse in history, changes to the Indy 500 qualifying format, new long-term sponsors, and a massive investment in the fan experience at IMS.

The changes are the first to be introduced since Roger Penske took formal ownership of the Speedway and the NTT IndyCar Series in January.

“This is the racing capital of the world,” Roger Penske said. “It is on par with some of the most historic sporting institutions in this nation and across the globe, from Churchill Downs to Augusta National. Today, we’re announcing a meaningful investment in our fan experience that will produce rapid results. It’s part of a long-term plan to ensure the legendary status of the Speedway continues to grow and evolve for generations to come.

“I am very excited about the enhancements to qualifying weekend, the largest-ever 500 purse, new sponsors and the significant investments we are making to the IndyCar Series and to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

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Headlining the changes is a $2 million boost to the Indy 500 prize purse, taking the overall prize pool to more than $15 million.

The main qualifying tweak is the return of multiple runs for the Last Row Shootout, which will be expanded to 75 minutes. Previously, each car was limited to a single run, and the new format aims to build drama by intensifying the fight for one of the final three spots in the Indy 500 field.

Indy 500 qualifying speeds will rise due to a boost in turbo levels, which will create an additional 45 horsepower, while an expanded TV schedule will add additional coverage for both days of qualifying. Full broadcast information will be released at a later date.

Six new major sponsors for the IndyCar Series and IMS have also been announced: Pennzoil, Verizon, Snap-On Tools, DEX Imaging, Road and Track magazine and Global Medical Response.
The Indy 500 prize pool will get a huge boost, but fans will notice a raft of other enhancements starting from when they first arrive at the Speedway. Image by Abbott/LAT

Meanwhile, a raft of upgrades geared towards improving the fan experience at IMS will be rolled out ahead of the Indy GP in May, led by the installation of more than 30 new large-screen video boards, including 24 along the Paddock seating. In addition, all seven infield screens will be modified to also show the running order.

A new 100 foot by 20 foot video screen dubbed the IMS Media Wall will be installed at the base of the Pagoda facing the Plaza, while Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network will be introduced to make the IMS the first racing facility with commercial 5G service.

Planned infrastructure improvements include modifications to Georgetown Road to make it more friendly to pedestrian traffic, and renovations to more than 125 restrooms inside the Speedway. New pavement will be added to the Parcel B lot hear the main gate, and around three miles of fencing will be added to the entire facility.

In Victory Lane, the winner’s car will be elevated to the same level as the victory podium to give fans a better vantage point for pictures and facilitate social media sharing.

More detail-focused improvements will include night light signage over Gates 1 and 2, and IMS will take responsibility for a beautification project along Crawfordsville Road. Fresh paint and new signage will be added to more than 50 concession stands inside the track, picnic tables will be added throughout the Speedway grounds to create more gathering space for family and friends, and more than 230 racing-themed flags will be placed around the facility and Crawfordsville Road.

All of these changes are scheduled to be completed before the Speedway opens its gates to fans to begin the Month of May on May 8.



Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy 500, Roger Penske, IndyCar

 

Penske targeting improved fan experience with public drivers' meetings

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emailBy: Marshall Pruett | 6 hours ago

Penske Entertainment’s purchase of the NTT IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will have a tangible feel at next month’s season-opening race at St. Petersburg when the Indy 500’s tradition of holding public drivers’ meetings will be applied to every race on the 2020 calendar.

The new practice it set to launch at the March 13-15 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

“Number one is customer experience,” Penske Corporation president Bud Denker told RACER. “That is what we’ve been focusing on, both for IMS, and for the NTT IndyCar series. With the IndyCar series, we want to make it more inclusive. Why don’t we have public driver meetings at every single race track? Why aren’t the public invited to those kinds of things?

“You’re going to see, starting at St. Petersburg, that we’re going to have more public access, including fans being involved in the public driver meetings.”

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Among his many duties as one of Roger Penske’s top lieutenants, Denker runs the Detroit Grand Prix and has overseen key improvements to the city-owned park where IndyCar, IMSA, Trans Am, and other series congregate each year following the Indy 500.
Public drivers’ meetings are a popular staple of the Indy 500 customer experience — and now will be featured at all NTT IndyCar Series rounds. Image courtesy IMS

Having witnessed the field of 33 drivers assembled and presented to fans sitting across in the pit lane grandstands at the Speedway for many years, where race directors deliver their pre-race instructions, Denker can’t wait to see the ceremonial practice applied to the other 16 weekends on the schedule, including the Dual In Detroit event he leads.

“Imagine having a drivers’ meeting being around Belle Isle, at the Scott Fountain,” he said. “How cool would that be for the public to be invited? That is part of the customer experience. That has been our lead focus; that has been our North Star. Our North Star has been the fan experience, for both IMS and the NTT IndyCar Series.”

St. Petersburg, IndyCar

 

MILLER: This counts as a win

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emailBy Robin Miller | March 26, 2020 4:10 PM

The fact that IndyCar was able to maintain two races and three weekends on national television after losing the month of May is a testament to NBC, a couple of the promoters on the NTT Series circuit, Roger Penske’s clout and the Indianapolis 500’s reputation.

Assuming normal life resumes in a few months after coronavirus has run its course, sports figures to resume its place in our daily routine. And I don’t think Mark Miles, Jay Frye, Penske, IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway could have asked for a better hand.

Having its annual showcase wiped out because of the pandemic isn’t just as simple as rescheduling a race weekend for IMS. There’s practice, qualifying, Carb Day, Legends Day and the 104th Indianapolis 500, plus the road course race that kicks off everything. But not only was Penske & Company hoping to replace three weeks of action in this scrambled scenario, Indy was up against the National Hockey League, the PGA tour and NASCAR, as they all were vying for a primo spot in the openings left by the cancellation of the Summer Olympics (mid-July to mid-August).

Of course, as much as many of us love Indy, it’s not the ratings gorilla it use to be, and the NTT IndyCar Series doesn’t draw viewers like the Stanley Cup playoffs, a weekly NASCAR show or any golf tourney that includes Tiger Woods. So Jon Miller, the president of sports programming for NBC, had the thankless job of trying to fit all these sports in a slot they all coveted, in a landscape that only has so many hours of network space.

And, as NBC has done since becoming IndyCar’s only TV partner in 2019, it treated IndyCar with great respect, and Miller may have made things even better than anyone could have hoped. Not only did he get Indy qualifying on NBC Aug. 15-16 and the Indy 500 on Aug. 23, he paired a couple of box office duds in a way that could ultimately rescue the beleaguered Brickyard 400.

Instead of playing to a couple thousand people on July 4th, NASCAR’s Xfinity series will now share the road course with IndyCar in what could be a damn entertaining doubleheader. Not only should it bring out a decent crowd, it also gives Frye/NBC/NASCAR the doubleheader that’s been discussed the past couple years.

So the Indianapolis 500 continues to have back-to-back weekends of national exposure, IndyCar has a shot at making some new fans on July 4th (especially if Jimmie Johnson makes his IndyCar debut) and maybe there’s a little life for the Sickyard 400 if Fernando Alonso straps on a stock car (OK I made that up).
After several years spent opening the Month of May, the Indy GP will form part of a historic doubleheader with NASCAR in July. Image by Abbott/LAT

“We’ve been in a constant huddle for the last 14 days and I wanted to be sure we could get far enough ahead of all this (coronavirus) that we could have a proper weekend,” said Penske on Thursday evening after calling all the team owners earlier in the day. “We had to make some tough decisions, and a lot of people helped us and have worked hard to come up with this schedule.

“We’re 150 days out, and I needed to know where I can go, and this is a big one off my back. And give a slap on the back to NBC and NASCAR. This could be a new combination for the future.”

Added Miles: “I like it, and I think we’re in good shape. The fans have five months to make plans, and we’re not up against college or pro football yet. NBC was terrific to work with, just like our promoters, and NASCAR. It was really difficult to find three weekends with all these cancellations, but we’ve got more live TV now than we had last May.”

In order to pull off this unlikely schedule, IndyCar had to get Mid-Ohio, Gateway and Portland to change dates. Originally set for August 14-16, promoters Kim Green and Kevin Savoree agreed to move the iconic road course up a week (Aug. 7-9) from its original slot and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Ill., dropped back from Aug. 21-22 to Aug. 29-30. Portland goes back a week from Sept. 6 to Sept. 13.

It could be risky for Gateway, since it’s going from its usual Saturday night date to a Sunday afternoon show, but the way Chris Blair & Company promote it may not hurt anything – especially coming off the Indy 500. And it’s also an easy drive over and back in the same day.

If Detroit’s doubleheader gets to open the season, IndyCar will have lost only Long Beach, COTA and Barber – and Jim Michaelian had Halloween weekend in play with the convention center, but couldn’t connect all the dots.

Green and Savoree looked dead in the water after their St. Pete opener was scratched, but now it’s back on to close out 2020 – likely in early October. So if IndyCar somehow pulls off 14 races, it will be more than anyone could have imagined a few days ago.

Brickyard 400, Indy 500, Indy GP, IndyCar,

 

Cancel the whine club membership

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emailBy Robin Miller | June 29, 2020 8:23 AM

During the 51 years I’ve covered IndyCar racing, I’ve had a few battles with Roger S. Penske. We screamed at each other during the national anthem back at Pocono in the early ‘80s about something I’d written, and there were a couple instances when he had a right to be mad because I hadn’t given him a proper chance to respond. I also wrote a column once that said I could not stomach seeing him take one more victory lap at Indianapolis. And that was in 1988.

Throughout our relationship, I’ve always said he is the smartest man I’ve ever met, and treated his accomplishments with the respect they deserve. By the same token, no matter if we were feuding, he always treated me professionally – be it a parking place, return phone call or a quick two minutes on television. As we’ve grown older, I think I’ve come to appreciate his body of work like nobody else’s.

But the one thing I could never imagine would be feeling sorry for The Captain. He’s got it all, and earned his wealth and global clout with hard work, an eye for detail, a great mind, and by surrounding himself with good people. Yet since he bought IMS and IndyCar back in January, R.P. constantly has been besieged by obstacles. The coronavirus cut down the season-opener, and then proceeded to wreak havoc on the rest of the schedule – eliminating the month of May altogether. He made a deal that cost him money to run the first race at Texas with no fans because he knew IndyCar had to get out in front of people after eight months in mothballs.

Earlier this month, here on RACER.com, he guaranteed the 104th Indianapolis 500 would be run “only with fans”, and then last week announced IMS will be able to accommodate 50 percent of its capacity on August 23rd. Judging by some of my mail and text messages, you’d have thought he was suggesting replacing “Back Home Again in Indiana” with “Helter Skelter”, or moving Turn 2 to Winton Avenue.

Race fans amaze me. They’re constantly bitching and moaning about something, and now Penske is catching some of their wrath because he dared to try and figure out a way to stage the race in front of live bodies while adhering to the social distancing policy. First they whined that Indy wouldn’t have any spectators, and now they’re pissed because it can only be half-full. And if you’re not comfortable with what the pandemic may look like in two months, then IMS gave you the option of just applying your 2020 ticket money to 2021. That sounds pretty fair to me.

“The feedback I’ve gotten so far is quite positive,” said Penske on Sunday morning as he worked from his home office. “You know, we had to get in front of this and couldn’t wait until August 15 to make a decision, and we wanted to give the fans either an opportunity to go to the race, or to give them credit. We’re doing everything we can to make it a quality experience in the face of all the hurdles.”

There is no formula yet for where ticket holders will end up and won’t be until the head count is determined this week.

“People with more than two tickets probably have to be reassigned,” continued Penske. “I think everybody who has seats that wants to come will be taken care of, and they’ll be satisfied with our approach and the outcome. We think once we have the opportunity to access people’s interest, we’ll do our best to put them in areas they can be comfortable with.”
Penske has faced unprecedented hurdles since taking over IMS and IndyCar, but he and his team are committed to delivering a safe and successful 2020 Indy 500. Image by Levitt/Motorsport Images

The Speedway has 232,000 permanent seats, not counting suites, hospitality and The Pagoda, plus another 3,100 seats outside the Tower Suites. And you also have general admission in the infield, so it’s feasible to get something approaching 125,000 on race day. But there are not as many Indy 500 ticket holders as people might imagine.

“The average ticket holder has between four and five seats, so that puts the number at about 50,000,” responded IMS president Doug Boles when asked about a number. “Nobody is going to get split up with two tickets, and we’ll do what we can to keep people with three together in or near their normal seats.

“We know it’s hard on everybody, especially the fans with the same seats for so many years, but obviously this is new territory for all of us, and we appreciate their understanding.”

Asked if there was any kind of drop-dead-date for postponing to October, Penske replied: “No, we’ve committed to have it in August in a rational and safe way. Obviously it’s a big enough place we can have realistic social distancing guidelines for the health and safety of fans.”

A decision on honoring bronze badges or crediting them for people who are not going won’t be made until after this weekend’s Brickyard 400, and without a concert or Indy Lights race, it would appear Carb Day’s attendance won’t present a problem. But those who do make it to practice, qualifying, Carb Day or the race will be blown away by what they see. Penske has spent a ton of money putting up new fencing, adding 28 video boards, widening the spectator’s walkway on Georgetown Road, paving every road and lot (except the TV compound) inside and outside the track, re-modeling the restrooms, making the grass look like Augusta National and power washing the museum, grandstands and Gasoline Alley. It looks and feels so like a new place. Which makes The Captain’s critics seem even more pathetic.

“Look, we’ve got a great fan base, it’s generational and this race has always been for the fans,” said the man with 18 Baby Borg-Warner trophies. “It’s important for our teams and sponsors that we have this race in August, but it’s also just as important for the city of Indianapolis and the great tradition of this event.”

Penske was asked if he’d ever had second thoughts about dolling out an estimated $300 million only to have all these setbacks prevent him from enjoying his favorite month of the year?

“Not at all,” he replied. “Obviously there have been some obstacles we didn’t expect the first year, but what I found is the crown jewel, and as a family, a company and a team, I’ve never been more excited about the future.”

What should resonate with IndyCar fans is that Roger Penske is all in, and doing the best he can under some difficult circumstances. He’s here a couple times a week, and IMS is his baby. So some of you whiners need put away your pacifiers, and be real thankful he’s calling the shots.

Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Roger Penske, IndyCar

 

Penske shows off IMS upgrades

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emailBy Robin Miller | 7 hours ago

Before a car turned a wheel on Friday to open the 2020 season at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Roger Penske had already spent millions of dollars upgrading and beautifying the 111-year-old racetrack.

From widening and re-paving Georgetown Road, adding 30 new video boards, refurbishing the restrooms and concession stands, adding five miles of new fencing, giving the victory podium a new look power washing everything that doesn’t move to adding Verizon 5G internet service, Penske’s staff and hired guns have been non-stop the past four months.

“My goal has always been to give the fans a first-class experience and make this the world-class facility it is,” said The Captain, who is hoping to run the 104th Indianapolis 500 on Aug. 23. “We’ve made a lot of improvements and there’s more to come.”
Of the 400,000 square feet of asphalt that have been laid, none are more impressive than on Georgetown Road. The bottleneck behind the main straightaway grandstands before and after the race was downright dangerous with the crush of people but now everyone has room to breathe and walk.

And R.P. paid for the Georgetown Road repave.

The other noticeable fan enhancements are the 30 LED video boards that have been erected all along the grandstands on the main straightaway and the 100-foot screen mounted behind Pagoda Plaza.

“Fans told us they could see the pit action sitting on the straightaway but it was hard to follow who was leading or what place their favorite driver was in so we wanted to improve that experience,” said Penske.

The 4,000 tons of paint are instantly noticeable when people first see the restroom and concession stand upgrades, and there is new cleanliness to Gasoline Alley, the IMS Museum and second-turn suites thanks to the power washing and painting.

Penske also installed 75 metal picnic tables for fan comfort — along with the needed upgrade in internet service.

“Roger is so detail-oriented and doesn’t miss a thing,” said John Lewis, Senior VP Facility Development at IMS. “He’s also the hardest-working person I’ve ever met and he’s constantly looking for ways to make things better for fans and competitors. I’d say he’s off to a good start.”

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IMS upgrades

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IMS upgrades

emailBy RACER Staff | 8 hours ago


Georgetown Rd
IMS upgrades© IMS | 2020


IMS entrance
IMS upgrades© IMS | 2020


Giant Pagoda screen
IMS upgrades© IMS | 2020