As how can you go wrong when you’re surrounded by a
veritable Treasure Trove of vintage Indianapolis 500 winners!
Returning to The Valley of The Sun for the
first time in nearly three years last October, naturally another visit to the
Penske Racing Museum (PRM) was warranted. As here’s what I scribbled’ following
my 2019 visit.
http://www.nofenders.net/2020/01/retro-doin-thee-indycar-time-warp.html
Thus obviously, I was very Happy when Snowbyrd
MJ’ asked me if I wanted to go visit the Penske Racing Museum, to which I
playfully replied, Uh Duh! Where Blogmeister’ Miguel joined us for our
afternoon visit.
The Penske Racing Museum is nestled inside the
multiple Auto Dealerships of the Penske Auto Group’s Scottsdale campus, with a
total of 13 Brands. Which includes the likes of Bentley, BMW, Bugatti,
Lamborghini, Land rover, Jaguar and Porsche. Not to mention the insane Off Road
Land Rover test course behind the museum! Along with a luxury “Used Car”
Dealership that always has a smattering of Ferrari’s to Drool over…
While best of All, Admission is Free, Bravo!
Since I can still recall when I used to pay only three Smackeroos’ ($3) for
Penske’s other museum at some place on 16th and Georgetown. Which
now will se Yuhs back $15.00, but I digress…
And like many stories Here upon Ye Isle ‘O
Nofendersville that get stranded in the Driftwood. I’m afraid I’ve forgotten
some of the details from this now fading, but enjoyable visit, but will try to
recollect my best…
Feel like Yuhs can never go wrong by having one
of my all-time favourite Penske Racing Indy Cars on “Point,” aka the museum’s
entrance. As it’s the ultra Sweet 1972 Deep Blue Mark Donohue #66 Sunoco
McLaren M16B/Offenhauser Indianapolis 500 winner, which I’ve seen many times before
thankfully! Since have I reminded Y’all I’m blind lately?
Hmm? While who’ll be running that fabled Number
66 this May for His Last, lat, last, may be? Indianapolis 500 race, Eh?
And I’m fairly certain that that year’s
Indianapolis 500 Pace Car was also on display. This being the ultra rare 1972
Hurst/Olds Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible in Cameo white with Gold reflective
stripes. For which reportedly only 130 Convertibles were built from the Uber low
production of 629 total Hurst/Olds that year!
Whilst my current favourite Indy 500 Pace Car
was on display as usual. Which is Funny since I always remember Will Power
saying it’s His wife Liz’s car! This being the Dark Blue 2018 Corvette ZR1, which
I think is currently the latest ZR1 Vette’ available?
Most of the racecars on display were the same, i.e.;
multiple Indianapolis 500 winners, Penske’s Formula 1 chassis and “The Gasman,”
ergo Tom sneva’s 200mph Indy 500 Qualifier. Along with the liberal sprinkling
of IndyCar engines on stands, trophies, etc.
As I know there were various Chevrolet CART 2.65-litre
V-8 turbocharger lumps to Gawk at. Along with the 1,000 Horsepower 1994 Mercedes
“Stock block” V-8 engine to admire…
In what soon became a game of Stump Tomaso!
With Miguel simply telling me a year and colour, or sponsor to see what your
Old-ER’ Blogger could remember?
This litmus test included the 1985 “Spin ‘N Win”
Indy 500 Danny Sullivan winner. Various “rocket Rick” Mears Indy 500 winners,
i.e.; 1984 Pennzoil “Yellow submarine” and 1991 Marlboro liveries. Also think
Big Al’s (Unser Sr.) 1987 yellow Hertz winner was there? And perhaps some other
“Bad Habits” (Marlboro) Indy Cars? Since I tend to think may be Gil de Ferran’s
100th IndyCar winner was On-hand…
Along with “the Gasman” Tom Sneva’s 1977
McLaren M24/Cosworth V-8 DFX. Which Sneva officially became the first person to
exceed a lap of over 200mph at Mother Speedway in. Plus I recall Snowbyrd MJ’
marveling over the fact that one of the racecars was sponsored by first City
travelers Checks! Which was the 1975 Mark Donohue Penske PC1 Formula 1 chassis.
And El Capitano’s, nee roger Penske’s NASCAR
Riverside winning 1963 Catalina was on display as always, for which I’ve just
read on the Penske Racing Museum website is a replica. While there was one
really weird, tiny Ferrari replicar on display. For which the friendly
receptionist told us was being held there until it could be safely delivered to
it’s client…
There were also a few Roundy round Taxicab
Bombers on display, for which I cannot remember what the first one was? Although
I think it was a Curt Busch car.
And then I correctly guessed Joey Lagano’s #22
Pennzoil racecar, which I think could have been His 2018 NASCAR Championship
car? Since I know we later marveled over how massive and impressive the Harvey
J. Earle NASCAR Champions trophy was!
As very impressive how Penske won last year’s
IndyCar and NASCAR Championships in the same season for the first time ever.
And perhaps it was just some Good ‘Ol Karma of
having one of “Sliced Bread’s” Taxicab Bombers on display. Since Joey Lagano
would go onto claim His second NASCAR Championship that November appropriately at
Phoenix International Raceway!
While there’s a stairway leading up to the
second floor, which primarily holds various scale IndyCar Wind tunnel models in
their complete liveries, matching the real winning Indy 500 racecars below.
Along with a gift Shop and Café, for which both were Closed, due to Staffing
Shortage. Whilst I’ve got Zero Clue if the Gift Shop merchandise can be ordered
Online?
Whilst Yuhs might also enjoy reading the first part
of this meandering No Fenders tome. Where I regaled Y’all about the three “new’ racing cars spotted during
Thy museum visit in the following No Fenders story below.
http://www.nofenders.net/2023/03/a-few-new-racecars-on-display-at-penske.html
Photo C/O Blogmeister’ Miguel
Arizona Bureau Chief Snowbyrd MJ’ and Tomaso pose during the start of our Penske Racing Museum visit. (The Tomaso Collection)
