"Roger Penske’s very proud of this car": When Team Penske’s historian presented the black Pontiac Catalina from his boss’s first NASCAR win

Whether it's on the racetrack or in his car dealerships, longtime NASCAR car owner Roger Penske has always been passionate about automobiles. Back in 2021, the owner of Team Penske was presented the black Pontiac Catalina that he won his first-ever race in during his racing days.

Penske brought 11 cars to the 2021 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, including the recreation of the Pontiac Catalina that earned him his first saloon win at the 1963 Riverside 250. Built around 15 years prior, the car had rarely left the Penske Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona until Team Penske’s Bernie King brought it to Goodwood.

“Roger wanted to bring it to Goodwood, he’s very proud of the win in this car. It’s kept as Mr Penske likes to keep his cars," King said via goodwood.com

Dan Gurney, the inaugural winner of the Riverside 500, suggested that Roger Penske try out stock car racing. It was then when Penske showed up in the Pontiac Catalina and fended off Darel Dieringer in the late laps to secure the victory. Penske was quoted in the LA Times back in 1963, saying:

"Gurney told me it wasn't any tougher than sportscar racing and a heckuva lot safer. It really doesn't seem different than sports car or GT racing. It's amazing how well [the stock cars] handle.”

Today, Team Penske fields three full-time cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. Joey Logano pilots the #22 car while Ryan Blaney fields the #12 machine and Austin Cindric wheels the #2 car.

Team Penske has won the last three Cup Series championships with Logano in 2022 and 2024 and Blaney in 2023. Since the start of the NextGen era in NASCAR (2022), Roger Penske's team has ended the season as the champion.

Roger Penske's team dropped two-word social media reaction ahead of in-season tournament

This Saturday night at the EchoPark Speedway kicks off NASCAR's first-ever in-season challenge, with 32 drivers going head-to-head in an elimination-style tournament over the next five races. All three of Roger Penske's drivers are in this year's challenge.

In the opening round, Ryan Blaney will take on Carson Hocevar, while Joey Logano is up against Alex Bowman and Austin Cindric is head-to-head with Zane Smith. Whoever finishes in front of the other in their head-to-head battle advances.

Team Penske's social media team shared a two-word preview of this Saturday's opening round, writing on Instagram:

"Battle ready."

All three Team Penske drivers have been to victory lane once this season. Austin Cindric claimed a win at Talladega, while Joey Logano scored a victory at Texas, and Ryan Blaney was triumphant at Nashville. After 17 races, Blaney leads the Penske trio as he sits sixth in the points standings. Logano sits 10th while Cindric is scored 15th.