Racing legend Roger Penske to be celebrated at FOS | GRR
The 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard will celebrate the incredible life and career of The Captain himself – Roger Penske.
The founder of the legendary team that bears his name, Roger Penske will return to Goodwood as part of the celebration of “The Maestros – Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders”. Penske exemplifies this theme, having enjoyed success on both sides of the Atlantic in NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and sportscars as a team owner and having raced himself, achieving victories in NASCAR before making it to Formula 1 in the early 1960s.
It will be the first time that the man known as “The Captain” has visited Goodwood since he raced a Ferrari 250 GTO against the likes of Jim Clark in 1963 in the RAC TT. Shortly after that race he hung up his racing gloves and founded Team Penske in 1966, paving the way for one of the most successful careers in motorsport history.
Since then Team Penske has raced in IndyCar, Formula 1, NASCAR, IMSA, the ALMS, Can-Am, CART, and more, winning 23 IndyCar titles (nine USAC, five IndyCar Series, nine CART), two NASCAR Cup Series titles, the IMSA and ALMS championships, a class victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours and 18 Indy 500 wins.
Goodwood will showcase Penske’s momentous career by assembling some of the team’s most famous cars at the Festival. These will include Team Penske’s first Indy 500 entry from 1969, the four-wheel-drive Lola T152; the McLaren M16B representing the first of the team’s 18 Indy 500 wins in 1972; the Penske PC-23 which dominated the 1994 Indy 500; as well as the 2006 and 2018 Indy 500 winners.
Also confirmed is a Pontiac Catalina, honouring the car that Penske himself drove to a NASCAR victory at Riverside in 1963, as well as the 2008 Daytona 500 winner. Representing Team Penske’s foray into Formula 1 will be the Penske PC1 from 1975, the first car manufactured by Penske Cars UK, and the PC4, which won the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix in the hands of John Watson.
Penske will take to the Hill himself in the Porsche RS Spyder which won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2008, while Jim Farley, Chief Executive Officer of Ford, will drive a Ford Mustang GT like the Penske-run car that won the 2019 Australian Supercars Championship.
An outdoor exhibition on the Cricket Pitch, detailing Penske’s illustrious racing history, will further celebrate the unique achievements of man and team in the world of motorsport, with an additional special tribute planned for the final day of the Festival of Speed.
Roger Penske said: “I have wonderful memories of racing at Goodwood in 1963 and am honoured to be invited to return this summer. I am very much looking forward to sharing in the celebrations with Goodwood’s passionate fans as they return for the 2021 Festival of Speed.”
The Duke of Richmond said: “We are incredibly excited that Roger is able to join us at the Festival of Speed this year as we celebrate Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders, among whom he undoubtedly numbers. We are very much looking forward to seeing both the hugely successful cars which have been assembled, as well as Roger himself take to the Hill over the course of the weekend.”
For more about the upcoming return of the Festival of Speed keep an eye on Goodwood Road & Racing, and to purchase tickets visit ticketing.goodwood.com.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.