LAS VEGAS — Roger Penske was honored as the 2016 recipient of the Bill France Award of Excellence, for his outstanding contributions to NASCAR and in celebration of his 50th season of involvement in auto racing, during Friday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Show at the Wynn Las Vegas.
The award was presented by third-generation NASCAR head man Brian France, the sanctioning body’s chairman and CEO.
“We don’t give this award every year,” France noted. “Growing up, Roger Penske was a peer, he was a partner and most importantly, he was a friend.”
Penske came up just short of a second Sprint Cup championship as a team owner this season, finishing second in the final standings with driver Joey Logano, but captured seven Cup victories and also scored the Verizon IndyCar Series championship as an owner during his milestone season of competition.
“What an honor for me to receive the Bill France Award,” Penske said. “I knew Bill for 50 years. … When I look out here tonight, and I think about the drivers, teams and all the people involved; what he gave our sport as an individual is that he sat by that (NASCAR) trailer for so many weekends and he asked ‘How can we be better?'”
“He made me better and certainly gave me the opportunity to compete with the best people in the world, from the standpoint of racing and in my life as well, with this great group of people here. For me, it’s an honor. I’m humbled.”
Penske also cited part of his success as being attributed to the example and guidance of his colleague and fellow team owner, Rick Hendrick.
“Part of our success has been trying to follow the leadership of Rick and Linda. Twelve championships is amazing. He’s a quality guy of high integrity, and what he’s brought to this sport and what I try to bring to it myself, every year … is outstanding.”
“I really don’t know what to say (about receiving this award), other than thank you.”
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as both the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series and the co-track announcer at Millbridge Speedway.
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