Penske supports NASCAR bid for ISC
Race team owner calls it a ‘very smart move’
Motorsports’ most successful team owner and entrepreneur supports NASCAR’s proposal to buy International Speedway Corp., the parent company of ISM Raceway, site of Sunday’s Can-Am 500.
“I think it’s a very smart move by the France family (NASCAR and ISC founders and majority owners),” Roger Penske told The Republic in an exclusive interview Saturday. “In today’s world, having a public company and not being able grow it at the level that shareholders have expectations (for) ... I think it de-complicates the relationship between NASCAR and the public (company) ISC. Overall, I applaud them for making the move.”
NASCAR’s non-binding offer is $42 a share for shares not currently owned by the Frances or their associates. Penske thinks a competing bid – which wouldn’t come from him – “would be very difficult with as large a shareholder as they (family) are ... but you never know in today’s crazy world.
“Fans are looking for more action and sponsors want more for what they’ve paying,” said Penske, who has Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Miller Lite Ford, Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 PPG Ford and Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford in Sunday’s 312-mile (500 kilometer) race. “We’ve got to build value and be sure our television partners and the media understands where we’re going as an industry.”
Keselowski’s September win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was Penske’s 500th as a car owner (he’s up to 503 now) and he got Penske’s first NASCAR Brickyard 400 victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he’s a record 17-time Indy 500 winner. With that goal achieved, Penske said his one remaining major goal is to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he would enter if a competitive car became available. That won’t be in 2019.
As for that unprecedented 500th win, Penske, whose Automotive Group owns several high-end Valley dealerships, said: “I’m not one to open a bottle of champagne but it’s more of a personal satisfaction, and to know how many people were a part of it is what gives me the best feeling.”
Not good
Cars failing pre- and post-race technical inspection has been a negative NASCAR storyline all season. It reached a peak when last Sunday’s winner Kevin Harvick’s car was found to have a spoiler violation when checked back at the sanction’s North Carolina R&D center. Harvick lost points and his crew chief, Rodney Childers, was suspended for the year’s final two races. Many think such controversy is unhealthy for a sport trying to reverse declines in its TV and at-track audiences.
“Yes, it does bother me,” new NASCAR President Steve Phelps admitted to The Republic. “We don’t want to be in the position we were put in. It’s not good for us. It’s not good for anybody ... We’d love to get out of the business of inspecting cars that don’t pass.
“We found something and had to react. We have to make sure we are policing the sport.”
Kenseth returns
The chance to defend his Can-Am 500 victory was an unexpected opportunity for Matt Kenseth.
His emotional win came in what Kenseth thought would be his next-to-last Cup race. Erik Jones was taking his place at Joe Gibbs Racing. But a few months ago his previous boss, Jack Roush, asked his 2003 Cup champion to replace Trevor Bayne in the No. 6 Wyndham Ford for most of the remaining races.
Kenseth’s best finish is 12th in 13 starts. Bayne’s best was 11th in 21 races. Ryan Newman will drive the No. 6 next season.
“It’s always good to come back to a track when you’re the defending race winner,” said Kenseth. “Those are great memories, and that win will always be special to me ... considering the circumstances, it was a nice ending to that chapter of my career ... all we’re trying to do is put two good races together for the 6 team.”
Pit stops
❚ Paul Menard wasn’t hurt in a final practice session crash but will have to start at the rear in a backup No. 21 Ford after qualifying 11th. Harvick was fastest.
❚ In a highly unusual move, NASCAR gave drivers 15 minutes to practice restarts, a recognition that the track’s relocation of the start/finish line to the exit of Turn 4 could produce mayhem.
❚ Jeff Gordon tops the list of 20 nominees for the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. The five new inductees will be announced at the raceway next March.
❚ Desert Diamond Casinos announced naming rights to the track’s second “Canyon” entrance and will sponsor the Xfinity Series race in 2019 and 2020.