Goodwood is thrilled to announce that former American driver and current championship team owner Roger Penske will attend the 2021 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, taking place from July 8–11.
Penske’s attendance comes as the event celebrates “The Maestros – Motorsport’s Great All- Rounders”, a theme consistently exemplified by Roger Penske and his race teams. As a driver, Penske enjoyed success on both sides of the Atlantic, winning in NASCAR and making it to Formula 1. But ‘The Captain’ is perhaps best known as the leader of Team Penske, having achieved unprecedented success across a number of motorsport disciplines, including INDYCAR, NASCAR, Trans-Am, sports cars, Australian Supercars and Formula 1.
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 PC23 which dominated the 1994 Indy 500; as well as the 2006 and 2018 Indy 500 winners. Also confirmed is the 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 driven by John Watson. Penske himself will take to the Hill in the Porsche RS Spyder which won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2008.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.
This year’s Festival of Speed is not Penske’s first visit to West Sussex: he raced at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in 1963, competing in the RAC Tourist Trophy, where he finished eighth in a Ferrari 250 GTO entered by the legendary North American Racing Team.
Roger Penske said: “I have wonderful memories of racing at Goodwood in 1963 and am honored 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 the hugely successful Penske racing cars alongside Roger himself take to the Hill over the course of the weekend.”
But isn’t that shiny red Zerex Special a complete replica, in which Penske never sat?
As of today, the original Zerex resides in Venezuela, of all places.
Willem Oosthoek