When Bobby Rahal was one of the stars of Indy car racing as a driver, his most formidable foes were the drivers in Roger Penske’s race cars. As a team owner, Rahal and Penske have battled it out on the track, but also helped each other by providing race cars chassis at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when each team had difficulty making the Indy 500.
Team Penske loaned Rahal cars in 1994 and Rahal returned the favor at Indy in 1995.
Both men have total respect for each other and that is why Rahal is a strong advocate of what Penske can do to help elevate INDYCAR, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and IMS Productions to even greater heights.
The Penske Corporation is in the closing process of purchasing those entities from the Hulman-George family with the deal expected to become final around the first of January.
“I think it’s tremendous news,” Rahal told NTT INDYCAR Mobile. “I just can’t imagine how it could be any better, frankly. I think Roger’s credibility is unquestioned. This is a guy who when he decides to do something, he does it absolutely right. He isn’t satisfied until it is done right.
“For INDYCAR and for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, frankly, I think the stature of both entities has taken a big jump since the purchase was announced because it’s Roger Penske
“If I’m a company, a manufacturer or a sponsor thinking about getting involved with INDYCAR or the Speedway, I don’t have to think too hard about that now. I think Roger’s reputation in the transportation world and the business world as a whole is unquestioned and absolutely respected.
“If I’m a manufacturer thinking about entering INDYCAR with an engine program, I may have been on the fence a little bit prior to the sale, after the sale, I’m in and I want to get in before somebody else decides to get in. I think it’s tremendous for the sport we love and for the track we love and respect.
“I just can’t imagine better news.”
At 82, Penske is as successful in business and industry as he has been on the racetrack. In more than 50 years, Team Penske has won 545 races, including a record 18 Indianapolis 500s and a record 16 Indy car series championships.
By running one of the largest automotive dealerships in the nation, as well as the highly successful Penske Truck Rental, Penske has many contacts in the automotive industry.
One of those is the Ford Motor Company. Team Penske is Ford’s premier team the NASCAR Cup Series and Rahal would like to see Penske help Ford join Chevrolet and Honda in INDYCAR.
“Given Roger’s relationship with Edsel Ford, if I was Roger, Edsel would be the first guy I would be calling,” Rahal said. “If you had an inkling of getting involved in any way, shape or form with the Speedway, before there may have been some question. After this, there is no question about anything other than INDYCAR, the Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 are the places to be.
“Now you have to believe there is no looking back and it’s just going to get better and better.
“The great thing about Roger, he’s been on all sides of the table. He’s been a promoter. He’s been a team owner. He’s been a driver. He’s been a sponsor. He has seen what we do from all sides and all angles. I think that is a huge plus.”
Taking on the greatest legacy in racing is quite a challenge, even for a man as successful as Roger Penske. Rahal believes the key to his success is the ability to surround himself with the best people in his organization.
Penske will keep the current INDYCAR and IMS staff while mixing in some of his key executives.
“I think Roger would be the first guy to say he doesn’t do it by himself,” Rahal said. “He has great people and without question, he does have great people in all facets of his business. I don’t see that as being any different.
“He’s 82 but maybe he sees this as the ultimate challenge for him; the ultimate success story. I don’t think you can question his commitment to motorsports. He’s been in it since the 1950s. Again, as a promoter, team owner, track owner he’s seen it all.
“Frankly, he looks at this as his chance to really leave a mark on the sport that he loves.”
While Rahal looks forward to an even brighter future for INDYCAR and the Indianapolis 500, he believes the Hulman-George Family needs to be recognized and honored for their 74-year “stewardship” of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500.
It all began when Tony Hulman purchased the facility from Eddie Rickenbacker on November 14, 1945.
“First off, Mari, her sense of debt to her father and what he did was obvious,” Rahal said, referring to the former Chairman of Hulman & Company. “She did everything she could to manage it and steward it until the day she died. I never knew Tony Hulman. I would have loved to have met him and got to have known him.
“Tony George had his reasons for doing what he did. In the end, he did the right thing and that was to come together and create one series in 2008. It came back together and here we are, and the Indianapolis 500 is as good today as it has ever been, if not better in many respects.
“You have to thank them.”
Rahal also believes the decision to sell the facility was an emotional time for the family.
“I’m sure it was a really hard decision for the family to make because of the historical relationship they had,” Rahal continued. “If it’s something your grandfather started as a family business, you hate to be the one that sold it. You hate to be the generation that sold it.
“Having said that, they made this clear in the announcement, they felt for INDYCAR to truly grow to its potential, it would be best if somebody else was holding the reins.
“That had to have been a really hard decision to make. You have to give them a lot of credit for that. In the end, Tony will still be participating in the series from what I understand. I have no doubt the family’s opinion will still be sought. It’s not like they are disappearing into the sunset. They are still involved but in a different way.
“You have to give them a lot of credit for making a tough decision. It’s for the betterment of the whole series and for the Indianapolis 500. But that had to be a tough, tough decision to make.”
As the Hulman-George family passes the greatest legacy in racing over to Penske, there is tremendous optimism for what the new owner can do to help the sport attain another level. That has the team owners, drivers, sponsors and potential sponsors with a sense of renewed confidence in what can be achieved.
“They see INDYCAR and the Speedway and the 500 attaining the greatness that it can,” Rahal said. “I think everybody is excited, happy, thrilled. Describe it any way you can.
“Roger was the perfect buyer. Roger called me at 7 a.m. the day of the announcement and it was a great phone call. He is excited and understands the challenge. We are behind him.
“He is going to be the guy who makes the difference that will be talked about for decades to come.”