In 2019, Roger Penske completed one of the most remarkable full-circle journeys in motorsports history. What began as a wide-eyed 14-year-old listening to the Indianapolis 500 on the radio culminated in a legacy-defining moment when he acquired the entire IndyCar Series, IMS Productions, and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At 82, Penske didn’t just buy a racetrack; he took the reins of a century-old institution. The 2.5-mile oval known as the “Brickyard,” home to the Indy 500 since 1911, became the centerpiece of his vision to elevate American racing. With NASCAR in his sights, Penske promised to restore its former glory at the Speedway. But now, as attendance declines and criticism mounts, including blunt remarks from NASCAR legend Richard Petty calling the track a “problem”, a sobering question emerges: did Penske inherit a crown jewel, or a fading relic?

The 2025 Brickyard 400 was supposed to be a triumphant return to tradition, a celebration of NASCAR’s roots on the iconic oval. Instead, it landed with a thud. Attendance dipped to around 65,000, falling short of even the 70,000 who showed up in 2024. For a race that once packed in over 200,000 fans, the empty seats were hard to ignore.

Richard Petty’s take on the Brickyard’s decline and racing’s evolution

Richard Petty, who competed from 1958 to 1992, remains the most decorated driver in NASCAR Cup Series history, with a record 200 race wins, including seven Daytona 500 victories. Driving primarily for Petty Enterprises, ‘The King’ built a legacy that makes his opinions on racing carry serious weight. When asked about the Brickyard 400, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a track now owned by Roger Penske, Petty didn’t hold back. He suggested that while the venue has produced a few memorable finishes, it rarely delivers consistently exciting races. His comments come at a time when Penske’s leadership in motorsports is under scrutiny, following recent IndyCar controversies involving technical violations and strategic missteps. “Indy has never put on really good races. They’ve had two or three pretty good finishes, but as far as the race itself, it’s just hard to put on that kind of race.” Though the Brickyard 400 is a NASCAR event, Petty’s critique subtly reflects broader concerns about how the iconic venue is being managed.

Petty recently drew a contrast between the racing of his era and the present day. He remarked on the simplicity of the past, where strategy and other advanced elements hadn’t bloomed to affect the drivers’ performance. “A lot of times, the guys who are supposed to win the race don’t win just because of strategy. Back in the day, if you had the best car, you pretty much had a chance to win the race,” he recalled. Winning was the primary focus, and drivers were mainly concerned with the green and red flags.

As per Petty, the current era of modern racing focuses more on strategy. For the Brickyard 400, the main strategy was to “save fuel”. Petty explained that saving fuel is important because it allows racers to make quicker pit stops. He said, “Even though they are not trying to save it to make it a regular pit, they just want to avoid using as much cash so they don’t have to put as much in.”

Bubba Wallace, driving for 23XI Racing, executed a masterful fuel-saving strategy to win the 2025 Brickyard 400. He held a strong lead over Kyle Larson before a late-race rain shower triggered a caution and red flag with six laps to go. The race resumed in double overtime, forcing Wallace to defend his position while managing a near-empty fuel tank, ultimately crossing the line just 0.222 seconds ahead of Larson.

Petty is not alone voicing concerns about present time sport and racers’ strategies. Earlier, fellow legend Mark Martin posted on X: In the golden age of NASCAR, the sport would never consider compromising RACING for entertainment. The racing was entertaining to the fans, and there was no need to try and attract people who had no interest in cars and car racing. The sport was BIG enough! Bigger than it is now.”

Despite the drama at the Brickyard, Petty remains optimistic about the sport’s direction, as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Iowa Speedway for the Iowa Corn 350.

“This week’s gonna be different”: Petty talks Iowa

In the very podcast, Petty highlights NASCAR’s return to Iowa on August 3rd, 2025, for the Iowa Corn 350, powered by Ethanol. The race will take place at the Iowa Speedway, a D-shaped, 7/8-mile oval short track. Drivers will be required to complete 350 laps to win the race. The Iowa Speedway track, with a capacity for over 25,000 spectators, is known for its unique layout. It features progressive banking in the turns and tight straights, which rewards drivers who are precise and patient when navigating traffic.

Considering these factors, Petty states, “This coming week’s gonna be a completely different kind of race track because it’s got a couple of grooves in the thing, and it’s a shorter race track, the cars probably stay together.”  Petty’s career was marked by success on various tracks, especially shorter, more technical ones where he performed well. So, yeah, it can be stated that The King is speaking out of experience.

Amid the ongoing excitement among NASCAR fans, a major motorsports story broke on Thursday, July 31: FOX Corporation acquired a one-third stake in Penske Entertainment, the parent company of the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and IMS Productions. This strategic investment gives FOX significant influence over media rights and promotional strategy for IndyCar and IMS. While the full impact on Penske’s operations remains to be seen, the move signals a bold new chapter for American open-wheel racing. With recent races seeing a noticeable dip in stadium attendance, could FOX’s investment arrive at just the right moment, one that reenergizes fan engagement, expands promotional reach, and helps reverse the downward trend at key venues?