Like its race teams, precision, speed, and performance also apply to Penske Racing’s machine shop.

(MOORESVILLE, NC – May 24, 2007)  Prior to Sunday’s running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the 91st Indianapolis 500, Penske Racing announces its sponsor partnership with Mazak Corp, established in 1991 for Penske’s NASCAR Nextel Cup teams, now extends to Penske’s Indy Racing League (IRL) teams.

Adding further excitement is the fact that Penske drive Helio Castroneves is the pole sitter for this year’s Indy 500. He clinched the pole position in Indy qualifying with four laps in the Team Penske #3 Dallara/Honda ranging from 225.652 miles to 225.920 miles per hour.  Teammate Sam Hornish Jr. in the #6 Team Penske Dallara/Honda starts on the second row and is the defending IRL Series champion. 

Penske Racing is the most successful Indy car racing team in history with 12 national championships and race wins numbering in the hundreds.  Formerly located in Reading, Pennsylvania, Penske’s Indy Car Series team now has its home in Penske’s 424,697-square-foot-state-of-the-art facility in Mooresville, North Carolina.  Penske is the first owner competing in three different major racing series. (NASCAR, Indy Car racing, and American LeMans) to place all his teams under one roof, and the first to base his Indy Car team in North Carolina. 

“We believe that having all our teams and support operations under one roof will result in a better product at the track,” says Roger Penske, chairman. “Departmental communications are enhanced, thus provides for all Penske Racing employees is conducive to peak performance.”

Peak performance also is the reason Penske named Mazak one of the original Penske Racing South sponsors when the organization entered NASCAR in 1991.  “The more we do in-house making our own parts, the more control we have,” says Chief Engineer Kent Day.  Where it’s sophisticated engine components or straightforward brackets that are required, Penske Racing’s machine shop can take advantage of the latest Mazak machine-tool technology and CNC precision repeatability to achieve the best parts for their cars. “Basically, it’s instantaneous turnaround when we see a need,” Penske machinist Andy Plummer. “Were able to provide more parts for the tests in a lot less time.”

For the Penske Racing Indy Cars, look for the Mazak logo on the front wing.  For more on Penske Racing, visit www.penskeracing.com.