Porsche Penske Motorsport drivers Josef Newgarden, Felipe Nasr, Matt Campbell and Dane Cameron, … [+]
Just five days after collecting their “Baby Borg” Trophies for winning the 107th Indianapolis 500 in 2023, Roger Penske and driver Josef Newgarden can add a Rolex to their trophy collections.
For the first time since 1969, team owner Roger Penske has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Brazilian racing great Felipe Nasr was about to fend off a charging Tom Blomqvist of Cambridge, United Kingdom in the final portion of America’s greatest sports car endurance race to give Penske yet another impressive achievement.
“It’s hard for me to believe,” Penske said. “This goes down as one of the biggest wins we’ve had. Now we’ve got to for the big one at Le Mans.”
The last time a Penske-owned car won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, it was six months before Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon during the epic mission of Apollo 11.
“When you think about 1969, we won here with a Lola and things were a lot different in those days,” Penske said in Victory Lane. “Just to think about today – the biggest crowd they’ve had here today for a sports car race.
“My hat is off to IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) and to Porsche for giving us the equipment and Felipe at the end there.”
Nasr’s Porsche Penske Motorsport No. 7 Porsche defeated Blomqvist’s No. 31 Action Express Motorsports Cadillac V-Series.R by 2.112 seconds.
Before lapped traffic provided a cushion on the final lap, it was down to six-tenths of a second after 24 long, grueling hours at Daytona International Speedway.
“Just to see the competitiveness with six- or seven-tenths of a second the difference after 24 hours, that’s unbelievable,” Penske proclaimed. “That’s hard to say.”
It was Porsche’s 19th overall win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Last May, Penske extended his record Indianapolis 500 record as with a 19th win in the Indy 500 with Newgarden as the driver.
“That’s a great stat,” said Penske, as he attempts to extend his record number of Indianapolis 500 wins to 20 on May 26, 2024. “That’s something that would be great to complete.”
The four drivers on Penske’s winning Porsche team were Dane Cameron, Matt Campbell, Nasr and Newgarden.
Josef Newgarden at 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“Look, I just showed up, that’s all I did,” Newgarden said in Victory Lane. “Porsche and Team Penske delivered the biggest result. But Felipe, the way he drove at the end, Matt Campbell, these guys won this race. I was just happy to be here.
“What an unbelievable group.
“I think RP (Penske) was crying up there on the timing stand.”
Nasr explained the final stint that delivered the victory.
“It’s incredible to think we pulled that one off,” Nasr said. “It all came down to the fuel game.”
Nasr was able to stay ahead of Blomqvist over the final laps and when the clock hit the 24-hour mark, his Porsche was first.
That gave Penske another timeless victory. It was Penske’s 98th career Sports Car victory.
It was also a big moment for the other drivers in the No. 7 Porsche.
“Fifteen years to get here, that’s a long time,” Cameron said. “I’m so proud of these guys. We had so many issues last year, but these guys were unbelievable.”
Campbell gave his thoughts.
“It’s incredible the way this race ebbed and flowed,” Campbell explained. “The way we took it the Cadillacs today, hats off to them. They really gave it to us.
“To finally get our first big victory in the world in this car is phenomenal.
“What a team. We finally got it done.”
Penske turns 87 on February 20, but consider his most recent racing accomplishments.
· Newgarden won the 107th Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2023. In addition to Team Penske’s 19th Indy 500 victory, it was the first Indianapolis 500 win for Penske since he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the Hulman-George Family on November 4, 2019.
· Team Penske won its second-straight NASCAR Cup Series Championship, it’s third overall, when Ryan Blaney won the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 5, 2023.
· Porsche Penske Motorsport wins the Rolex 24 at Daytona for Penske’s first Rolex 24 win in 55 years.
It was Newgarden’s first Rolex 24 overall victory, and he joins an exclusive list of drivers that have won the Indianapolis 500 and the Rolex 24 at Daytona with names like AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Alexander Rossi, Al Unser, Jr., and Dario Franchitti.
Roger Penske (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
As the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar, Penske was proud of the number of IndyCar drivers that competed with some of the greatest sports car drivers in the world in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“There were a number of IndyCar drivers in the Rolex, which is terrific,” Penske said. “We have worked hard to get Josef a seat in the car with practice and qualifying and testing. It’s not just jump in the car and race any more, it’s flat-out.
“He did a great job. He was excited and he helped us out.”
The No. 18 Era Motorsports ORECA LMP2-Gibson won the LMP2 category. The drivers were Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel, Connor Zilisch and last year’s INDY
INDY
The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 won the GTD Pro category. Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, Alexander Pier Guidi and James Calado were the drivers.
The GTD class was won by No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 of Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje and Daniel Morad.
Roger Penske (left) and Josef Newgarden (right) with their “Baby Borg” Trophies at The Henry Ford in … [+]
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
