President Trump to award Roger Penske the Presidential Medal of Freedom
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will bestow the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on auto racing team owner and businessman Roger Penske.
In making the announcement, Trump said he has discussed the award with Penske, 82, and said, "He's very thrilled to be getting it."
Team Penske, as Penske's motorsports teams are known, has won more than 530 races and 34 championships in its 53-year history across various series as well as 18 Indianapolis 500 wins and two Daytona 500s. IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud won the most recent Indy 500 last month, and Joey Logano captured the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Penske has long been associated with the Detroit metro area, having had a home in Birmingham, Michigan, and maintaining the headquarters for Penske Automotive in Bloomfield Hills. He was chairman of the effort behind Super Bowl XL, played in Ford Field in 2006.
Trump said he couldn't "imagine anyone even being close" in terms of victories in motorsports. The president didn't say when he would award the medal or provide any other details.
"He's a great gentleman," Trump said. "I’ve known him a long time. A very brilliant gentleman."
Trump made the remarks during a brief question-and-answer period at the White House on Thursday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Penske, a former professional auto racer himself, is also the founder and chairman of Penske Corp., with subsidiaries in auto sales, truck leasing and transportation logistics. The company manages businesses with revenues totaling more than $31 billion and employing more than 63,000 people worldwide.
This month,Trump hosted Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud and Penske, congratulating them on their win last month and calling Penske his friend.
Trump has been giving the award somewhat regularly this year, having awarded the Medal of Freedom to golfer Tiger Woods in May and, this month, to economist Arthur Laffer.
Contact Todd Spangler at tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.