Roger Penske reveals conversation with Rick Hendrick after Alex Bowman Roval disqualification

There isn’t a team owner who has had more success this year than Roger Penske. He just capped the year off with another NASCAR championship. Three in a row in the Cup Series, Penske has taken control of this Next Gen era.

Look back on what Team Penske has done in IMSA, WEC, NASCAR, IndyCar in 2024 – they really only came up short in winning the IndyCar championship. Josef Newgarden did bring them home another Indianapolis 500, though.

However, winning a third straight Cup Series championship is likely the biggest highlight. He joins only two other team owners to have accomplished that feat. Junior Johnson and Rick Hendrick.

When asked if he was aware of that fact, Roger Penske wasn’t so sure. Then the 87 year old was reminded of a conversation he had with Rick Hendrick recently.

“Junior Johnson,” Penske said in the post-race press conference. “Well, I followed Junior for a long time, and Rick and I are great friends. And it’s interesting, when we got in because the 48 was disqualified, I talked to Rick, and he said, ‘I’m glad it was you that got in.’

“And I said to him, ‘Hopefully you don’t feel that same way at the end of the season.’ Anyhow, it’s great. It’s just another opportunity for us that we were able to conquer.”

Rick Hendrick isn’t the only team owner Roger Penske has talked to lately. After all, he has his hands in motorsports all over the world.

Roger Penske tells Chip Ganassi that NASCAR is ‘easier’

Going back to the one area Penske fell short in 2024, IndyCar. Losing out on that championship once again to Chip Ganassi was tough. When you have Scott McLaughlin, Will Power, and Josef Newgarden – it’s tough when you fall short.

In the postrace presser, Roger Penske joked about a quip he had to Ganassi recently. NASCAR and IndyCar fans can enjoy this one.

“Well, I guess you’d have to say it’s probably, if not the best, one of the best [seasons for Team Penske all-around]. I think that obviously not to win the IndyCar championship, which of course it’s where we all start and build our first racing team, was disappointing. But it’s one of those things that you try and you don’t – [Chip] Ganassi, you have to give him credit. He continues to put up great numbers with his guys.

“I told him, ‘Come back to NASCAR, it’s gotten easier.'”

Fresh off three straight championships with two different drivers, maybe Roger Penske is right. Whatever they have figured out over there is working and it was on full display as they not only won the championship but finished 1-2 in the standings.