Roger Penske said that he poured $15M into recent renovations at Indianapolis Motor Speedwaygetty images
Roger Penske made clear that the mindset that helped mold his team's 50% capacity plan for this year's Indianapolis 500 is "centered around faith in people, trust in his team's planning and a knowledge that the entire sport he now controls would struggle to function without the largest single day sporting event in the world," according to Nathan Brown of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Penske said, "There certainly isn't a commercial benefit for us with what we're doing, but with what we're going through, we haven't stopped investing." Penske: "That (50%) number came down to this: We wanted to go to our ticket holders and start with everyone getting two tickets (or 50% of their larger order), and if they want more, they can get it in possibility a different place. It's not scientific." He added that he "doesn't have a specific goal on ticket sales." Penske: "We don't know yet what the number will be. We could end up with 80, 90 or 100,000. We don't know yet today what the people want. We know some want to come back, but is that half? Is it a third?" Penske also said, "Anyone who doesn't want to come, for any reason, can get a credit for next year." Meanwhile, Penske said that he poured $15M into recent renovations at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that "nearly all centered around guest experience, safety and general upkeep" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/4).
ITALIAN HORSEPOWER: The STAR's Brown noted Penske has "taken it upon himself to try and land Ferrari to become [IndyCar's] long-awaited third engine manufacturer." Penske said of the prospect, "Have they made a decision? The answer is, 'Not yet,' but they're definitely interested in coming" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/4).
