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Embroiled in Controversy, Roger Penske Boasts an Exceptional Start to His 2024 Season Across the Motorsports World

Published 03/11/2024, 5:27 AM EDT

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Team Penske’s been showing everyone how it’s done in motorsports, no joke. Back in 2022, Joey Logano snagged the Cup Championship, and then in 2023, it was Ryan Blaney‘s turn to bask in the spotlight. And just when you thought they were done, Ryan Blaney’s leading the charge in this year’s cup season, sitting pretty at the top of the driver standings only four races in. Adding icing to the cake, they shut down all that chatter about Roger Penske‘s leadership by storming through the IndyCar season opener. Josef Newgarden didn’t just win; he crushed it from pole position on the streets of St. Petersburg. Penske’s crew is on fire, proving they’re the big dogs in the racing world.

Roger Penske’s motorsports team is collaboratively and individually ahead of others in the series as of now

There’s been some side-eyeing Penske’s way, especially after he called IndyCar a hidden gem that needed a cash injection to shine like F1 and NASCAR. That didn’t sit well with Michael Andretti, who threw some shade, saying Penske hadn’t really brought the spark back to IndyCar.

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But then, Ryan Blaney’s topping the charts in NASCAR, and Josef Newgarden just aced the St. Petersburg race. Adding to that, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power also snagged third and fourth, leaving Andretti’s crew in the dust. Andretti’s top guy, Colton Herta, only made it to fifth, and their new ace, Marcus Ericsson, didn’t light up the track either.

The reigning IndyCar king, Alex Palou, ended up sixth with Chip Ganassi Racing, and Felix Rosenqvist started off his time with Meyer Shank Racing in seventh. Penske’s just on another level this year, having already bagged wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the WEC opener in Qatar. Talk about setting the pace!

Besides that, Team Penske’s Indycar manufacturer Chevy’s been on a winning spree in 2024, nailing the first three Cup races, all the Truck races, and two out of four in the Xfinity Series by the time the Cup Series hit Phoenix. They even scored a full sweep in the IndyCar opener, with their cars taking the top four spots and seven of them making the top 11. Drivers have been all abuzz about how Chevy stepped up its game during the offseason, making some sweet upgrades that really paid off.

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As for Roger Penske’s leadership in IndyCar, not everyone’s throwing shade. Despite some heavy hitters questioning if he’s the right man for the job, Chip Ganassi isn’t about to join the chorus against Penske. Seems like there’s still plenty of respect in the pit lane for The Captain.

Chip Ganassi defends the current Indycar leading team’s owner

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Chip Ganassi’s got nothing but respect for Roger Penske, especially when it comes to how he’s been steering the ship in IndyCar. “Anybody that can run the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with no fans in the stands? He’s got my vote. He coughed up the money to buy the place, and he coughed it up during COVID and kept the series running, ” Ganassi shared with reporters, tipping his hat to Penske for buying the Speedway right in the middle of COVID and making sure the races kept going.

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“Not Going to Sharpshoot Him” – Chip Ganassi Defends IndyCar Owner Roger Penske After Michael Andretti’s “Sell the Series” Condemnation

The shoutout came right after Michael Andretti aired some grievances about how Penske’s team asked IndyCar owners to shell out cash for race spots early on. But hey, it’s early days in the season, and everyone’s watching to see if Team Penske can keep their winning streak alive in the Cup Series with Ryan Blaney tearing up the track.

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Written by:

Neha Dwivedi

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Neha Dwivedi is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. As a journalist, she religiously believes in the power of research, which allows her readers to dive deep into her stories and experience the detailed nuances of the sport like never before. Being proficient with Core Sport and Live Event Coverage, she has written multiple copies on the top entities of Stock Car Racing, like Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Tony Stewart.
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Edited by:

Ariva Debnath