"We can see it from the fans" - Roger Penske credits NASCAR's oval return for Brickyard 400 ticket sale surge

Team Penske's owner Roger Penske recently commented on NASCAR's return to the Indianapolis Oval, highlighting the surge in ticket prices. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is owned by the Penske Corporation, with Roger Penske as CEO.

Former professional racecar driver, Roger Penske is a well-known figure in Motorsports. His professional career began in 1958, driving in races organized by the Sports Car Club of America(SCAA). Over the years, Penske transitioned from driver to a successful owner of multiple-teams across various motorsport disciplines.

After its debut in the IndyCar Series in 1968, Team Penske made its NASCAR debut in 1972, under the namesake, Team Roger Penske. Since its inception, Team Penske has achieved four driver’s titles and 139 victories in the Cup Series. One of these victories was secured by Brad Keselowski in 2018, driving the #2 Ford for Team Penske.

Ticket prices at IMS for the weekend have skyrocketed. The owner of the speedway, Roger Penske recently commented on this surge in ticket prices, crediting NASCAR's return as the reason behind the spike. He said (via a post on PRN Live's X):

"We're excited to be back on the oval. We can see it from the fans. We're gonna be up 25% from 2019, which shows there's a definite interest in the cars racing on the oval. We had a great 500 in May, let's have a great race this weekend."

The first edition of the Brickyard 400 was held on August 6, 1994, and it became a yearly tradition until 2020, when NASCAR shifted to the road course. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon was the first to win the Brickyard 400, followed by other racing legends like Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Kevin Harvick.

Team Penske currently runs three teams in the Cup Series. Two-time Brickyard 400 winner Kyle Busch, and RFK Racing's #6 driver Brad Keselowski are the only two winners of this event in the current Cup Series roster. A win for either of them would make for a historic return of the Cup Series to the Indianapolis Oval.

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Team Penske's Cup Series drivers and their playoff status

Ahead of NASCAR's return to the Brickyard 400, all three Team Penske drivers have qualified for the playoffs.

Penske's #12 team, driven by Ryan Blaney is currently in P7 in the driver standings, with 627 regular season points. Blaney has secured two cup series wins this season, the inaugural Cup race at Iowa, and the Great American Getaway last weekend in Pocono. He has also secured 6 top-five finishes and a pole position in Bristol.

Ryan Blaney after winning at Pocono last weekend (Image via IMAGN)

Penske's #22 team, driven by Joey Logano also secured a playoff position after driving down victory lane at the Ally 400 in Nashville. Logano is currently in P14 in the standings table, with seven top-ten, and four top-five finishes. Moreover, he has also secured 3 pole positions this season.

Joey Logano at the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 (Image via Getty)

Team Penske's #2 driver, Austin Cindric cliched a playoff spot after winning the Enjoy Illinois 300 at the World Wide Technology Raceway. The win at Illinois marked his second overall win in the Cup Series. Currently sitting at P19 in the driver standings with 408 points, Cindric has finished in the top five and top ten twice this season.

Austin Cindric wins the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 (Image via Getty)