President Trump met with Roger Penske and several star drivers at the White House on Wednesday. The group convened in the Oval Office before going for photos alongside the race cars the drivers brought for the occasion.
Drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar and IMSA were present as President Trump celebrated and congratulated Penske for his success.
“Roger Penske is a great friend of mine. I’ve known him a long time.” President Trump said. “I watched him win his 18th Indianapolis 500…that was like five years ago and he won two more since then.”
“Germany, Japan, they spend billions of dollars trying to win Indy, and I guess they do it sometimes but not much, but he has done it 20 times. He must know something about cars and racing,” Trump joked. “He’s been a very special guy and he’s brought some of our outstanding racing champions with tremendous courage, and guts and grit.”
President Trump attended this year’s Daytona 500 shortly after taking office and toured the field in the presidential motorcade. He congratulated the race winners and commended them for their courage and athleticism. Among the drivers present were Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, the champions of the 2023 and 2024 NASCAR Cup Series.
Logano brought his No. 22 Penske Ford Mustang for the event, which he told President Trump would go about 190 mph.
“It takes a special genetic, you know that right?” Trump said. “Most people couldn’t do that.”
Josef Newgarden, two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, was also present with his No. 2 Penske Chevrolet, which he told President Trump would go 240 mph.
“This is just a celebration of racing and it’s a celebration of Roger and his great success and his life and these incredible champions who really do what very few people could do,” Trump said. “Mentally, psychologically, it’s a big factor here like it is in all sports really but you need a great physical ability.”
Felipe Nasr and Laurens Vanthoor, members of Porsche Penske Motorsport, who won the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona, were also in attendance. President Trump praised the drivers for being “great athletes,” and commented on the endurance it takes to complete a 24-hour race. “That’s endurance. Endurance is a big factor in life and success, I can tell you,” Trump said. “You guys have it.”
