Image by Rusty Jarrett/LAT
Roger Penske celebrates Brickyard win via text
Roger Penske didn't see Brad Keselowski bull his way past Denny Hamlin to win Monday's rain-delayed Brickyard 400. He was in New York City and didn't know his car had finally won after 25 tries until he got a text message.
"I was in a Lufthansa terminal at JFK for a special BMW promotion so I couldn't watch it but I got a text that said, 'Congratulations,'" related The Captain to RACER. "So that's great -- we checked that box and that's pretty cool to win all three in the same year."
The winningest owner in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history was referring to his 17th triumph last May at the Indianapolis 500 with Will Power, his fourth straight at the IndyCar road race (again with Power) and now his initial W in stock cars with Keselowski (pictured at right, with Penske).
It was the first time the 81-year-old business tycoon missed a win at IMS.
"I was there at 8 a.m. on Sunday but obviously it wouldn't stop raining so I had to come to New York," he said. "I wasn't at the Southern 500 either (also won by Brad. K.) because I was at the IndyCar race in Portland but I'm really proud of Brad, (crew chief) Paul Wolfe and that team. It's been a long time since Ford won at Indianapolis (1999 to be exact) so that's good news too. And you know how special that place is to me."
It was Team Penske's 499th overall win since R.P. formed his partnership with Mark Donohue back in 1966.
Robin Miller
Robin Miller flunked out of Ball State after two quarters, but got a job stooging for Jim Hurtubise at the 1968 Indianapolis 500 when Herk's was the last roadster to ever make the race. He got hired at The Indianapolis Star a month later and talked his way into the sports department, where he began covering USAC and IndyCar racing. He got fired at The Star for being anti-Tony George, but ESPN hired him to write and do RPM2Nite. Then he went to SPEED and worked on WIND TUNNEL and SPEED REPORT. He started at RACER when SPEED folded, and went on to write for RACER.com and RACER magazine while also working for NBCSN on IndyCar telecasts.
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