"It's excellence" - When Rick Hendrick joined Tony Stewart & Co. to define Roger Penske in one word

Roger Penske is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and respected owners in motorsports history. The 87-year-old from Ohio has achieved greatness in many forms of racing as an owner, not the least of which has been winning the last three NASCAR Cup Series titles.

Team Penske celebrated its 50th anniversary back in 2016. As a tribute to the legendary owner, some of the greatest figures from motorsports were asked to describe him in one word in a video posted to YouTube.

One of those figures included car owner Rick Hendrick, who holds the most Cup Series championships as an owner with 14. The word that came to Hendrick's mind to describe Penske was excellence.

"If I had to pick one word to describe Roger, it's excellence," he said.

Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart was also included in the video. The Indiana native said Penske prided on his professionalism, stating that he is unlike any other.

"Professional. You look up professional in the dictionary and it's an 8x10 glossy photo of Roger Penske," Stewart said.

Joey Logano, Team Penske driver and the newly-crowned three-time Cup Series champion, said determination is the word he would use to describe his current boss.

"The first thing that comes to my mind is determined," Logano said.

Former Cup Series team owner Chip Ganassi was also featured in the video and had a unique way of describing Penske in one word.

"If I was to describe Roger Penske in one word, it would be all," Ganassi said. "All the equipment, all the effort, all the results."

Fellow car owner Richard Childress echoed the same sentiment as Hendrick as he acknowledged Penske's excellence in motorsports.

"The one word would be excellence," Childress said.

Former Cup Series champion and former Team Penske driver Kurt Busch used the word "captain" to describe his former boss, a reference to Penske often being referred to as "The Captain."

"It's got to be the captain," Busch said.

Also included was racing icon Mario Andretti, who gave Penske what he believes is the highest praise one could give in motorsports.

"The word racer is possibly the highest compliment that anyone could pay in our sport," he said.

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Roger Penske said 2024 was "one of the best" seasons after Joey Logano's third championship

Joey Logano held off Ryan Blaney in the championship race at Phoenix this season to claim his third career NASCAR Cup Series title and complete a Team Penske 1-2 finish in the final standings. Team Penske's third driver, Austin Cindric, didn't make the cut for the championship race but still competed in the playoffs before being eliminated in the Round of 12.

Roger Penske has seen a lot of success in his career as a team owner but said that 2024 might be the best yet.

“If this season isn’t the best, it’s one of the best," Penske said via Forbes.

Team Penske has won the last three Cup Series titles with Logano triumphing in 2022 and 2024 and Blaney winning in 2023. The team's previous Cup title came with Brad Keselowski in 2012, marking the organization's first Cup championship.