Roger Penske is one of the most respected names in motor racing. His teams have competed in IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA and even a short stint in Formula 1. This year’s win by Team Penske at the Indianapolis 500 was the 19th victory for Roger as a team owner. But back in the day, Roger was a racer, competing in road racing events. In 1958, Penske bought a used Porsche RS for competition, and won the 1500cc class in the SCCA Nationals at Marlboro Raceway. His prize was an elegant silver trophy cup.
Penske continued to race sports cars, earnings wins at the Riverside Grand Prix and Pacific Grand Prix (1962) and the Nassau Tourist Trophy (1964) before retiring from competition in 1965. Sadly, that first trophy was lost.
Decades later, motorsports history enthusiast Mike Teske was in an antique shop in San Joaquin, California, and stumbled across Roger Penske’s trophy. Teske was unfamiliar with Marlboro Raceway (unrelated to the tobacco company that sponsored Team Penske from 1989 to 2010) or the trophy’s history. After some research, Teske purchased the silver cup, .and at Indianapolis this year, returned it to him on the day before the Indy 500.
“Honestly, I have to believe it has been decades since I last saw that trophy. What a terrific surprise from Mike Teske while we were in Indianapolis. On top of Josef’s win in the 500, it made it a special week. Since my driving days we have moved race shops a few times…it is likely not the only thing that got misplaced in those moves.
Very happy to have it back. It brought back some great memories of my driving days. We had a lot of fun and I’m proud of our success in those days. It is amazing that Mike was able to find it and give it back to me. I greatly appreciate it.”
Roger Penske, from RACER Magazine
To many in the motorsports community, Roger Penske is the man who has everything; wealth, power, respect. But getting back his trophy, won 65 years ago then lost, must have been a special moment.