24 Hours of Daytona, 1966. This event marked the first competitive step of what would become one of the most dominant empires in motorsports history. From that debut, Roger Penske’s team expanded rapidly, competing and winning across Formula One, Can-Am, Trans-Am, NASCAR, IndyCar, and even Australia’s Supercars Championship. More than six decades later, the numbers feel almost unreal: over 600 race victories and above 40 driver championships across multiple disciplines.

Yet for Roger Penske, success has never been about tallying trophies. As Team Penske gears up for its 60th anniversary season in 2026, the organization isn’t slowing down or looking back. In fact, it’s preparing to go bigger, using the milestone to reinforce why “The Captain’s” legacy still sets the standard for modern motorsport.

Roger Penske in celebration mode

“Our 60th anniversary is a tremendous milestone for our organization,” said Roger Penske. “The 2026 season will give us the opportunity to celebrate the people, partners and fans who have helped shape Team Penske since 1966, while also looking ahead to the future. This year ahead is a meaningful one with many terrific moments for our team and story still to come.”

That mindset perfectly frames how Team Penske plans to approach its landmark 60th anniversary season in 2026. What began in 1966 as a modest sports car operation has grown into one of the most decorated organizations in motorsports history, with success spanning open-wheel, stock car, and sports car competition across the globe.

The anniversary will be recognized throughout the year with a wide-ranging slate of programs, initiatives, and storytelling efforts aimed at engaging fans, partners, and the broader motorsports community. A refreshed 60th anniversary identity will debut across race cars, driver uniforms, digital platforms, and merchandise, giving the season a unifying visual theme. But that’s not it.

Team Penske will also elevate its Hall of Fame program in 2026, spotlighting individuals whose leadership, innovation, and dedication helped sustain the organization’s long-term excellence. One of the centerpiece moments will arrive in late spring, when a dedicated 60th anniversary exhibit opens at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Featuring historic race cars, championship memorabilia, and rarely seen artifacts from the team’s archives, the exhibit will trace the pivotal moments that shaped Penske’s six-decade journey. Additional displays are planned for the Penske Gallery at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the Penske Racing Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona.

On track, select retro paint schemes will appear across NASCAR, INDYCAR, and IMSA entries, created alongside long-standing partners who helped define the team’s success. A special 60th anniversary Fan Day, plus commemorative apparel launching in January 2026, will round out a season designed to celebrate legacy without ever losing sight of what comes next.

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A look at Team Penske’s legacy in NASCAR

Team Penske’s NASCAR Cup Series journey mirrors the organization itself. They were the ones with bold experiments, strategic retreats, and powerful returns. The team made its Cup debut in 1972 at Riverside International Raceway with Mark Donohue behind the wheel of a factory-backed red, white, and blue American Motors Matador.

Squarish and unconventional, the car earned the nickname “the flying brick,” but it also signaled Penske’s willingness to challenge norms, even when the optics weren’t perfect. By 1976, the operation went full-time with Bobby Allison driving a more aerodynamic fastback coupe. The results were immediate and promising, as Allison finished fourth in the championship standings.

Yet in classic Penske fashion, timing and focus mattered. After selling his NASCAR equipment to the Elliott family in 1977, Roger Penske stepped away from the Cup Series altogether, redirecting resources elsewhere. NASCAR would go Penske-less for more than a decade.

That absence ended in 1991, when Team Penske returned with a familiar name: Rusty Wallace. The reunion marked the start of the team’s most successful NASCAR era. Wallace became the foundation, wins followed, and Penske slowly built a long-term Cup powerhouse. A symbolic shift came in 2014, when the organization officially rebranded from “Penske Racing” to “Team Penske,” aligning its NASCAR identity with its IndyCar roots.

The numbers since then tell the story. Team Penske has amassed 156 Cup Series victories and captured three Daytona 500 wins with Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, and Austin Cindric. Their championships have followed across generations – Brad Keselowski in 2012, Joey Logano in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and Ryan Blaney in 2023. Add two O’Reilly Auto Parts Series titles with Keselowski and Cindric, and Penske’s NASCAR legacy stands as one of precision, patience, and sustained excellence.