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Roger Penske has a part to play in almost every big entity in the racing world, especially, the United States. With F1 expanding its fixtures in the US in 2022, rumors started spreading in the paddock that F1 owner Liberty Media had made an offer to the captain regarding the purchase of the American series. However, Penske dismissed such rumors by asserting that the speculations were the dumbest thing that he had heard.
The 88-year-old's legacy in the motorsport world has its branches in almost every racing series worldwide. While IndyCar remains Penske's major focus as he owns both the championship and its elusive track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has helped him assert his dominance in the open-wheel racing scene in the United States.
On the other hand, F1 had failed to establish itself as the leading open-wheel series in the US, despite many attempts in the early 2000s, which were to no avail. F1 even witnessed a five year drought from the US market as no American race was on the calendar between 2008-2011.
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With Liberty Media's takeover in 2017, the face of F1 changed in the US. This caused rapid growth. Miami was added on as the second American F1 race in 2022, while the infamous Las Vegas strip joined the calendar in 2023.
Witnessing the sport's massive growth, IndyCar's paddock was stunned with a rumor that Liberty Media had made an offer to buy out the American alternative in early 2022. However, Roger Penske was not taken aback by this rumor and dismissed it by saying (via RACER):
"That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard. Let me tell you this, it doesn’t make any sense to me. You cannot own the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and not have the ability to support IndyCar, or vice versa. IndyCar is nothing without Indianapolis, and we’re all-in. There’s not enough money that would even tempt me to sell it. I don’t need to; I’m not in it for the money."
"I’m in it for because I love the sport, from a competition standpoint, from a marketing standpoint, from a technology standpoint... And let me say this: I’m normally not a guy that sells anything. I’m normally a guy that buys things. Right?"
IndyCar has affirmed his stance in the American market since then and the Roger Penske-based operation has been going strongly with the 2025 IndyCar season starting off with a variety of storylines.
Roger Penske also has a story tied with the upcoming 50th-anniversary Grand Prix of Long Beach
Meanwhile, the 2025 IndyCar season will also celebrate the Grand Prix of Long Beach's 50th-anniversary. Roger Penske purchased the rights to hold the Long Beach race, and shared his thoughts on adding the fabled event to his arsenal of tracks (via IndyCar):
"We’re incredibly proud to be the new stewards of this cherished and iconic event... This race and its loyal fans matter so much to everyone across the INDYCAR community, and we’re looking forward to a very special 50th-anniversary celebration this April, as well."
The 2025 Grand Prix of Long Beach is slated to take place on April 13.
