News

Featuring unique access to the on-track stars and high-tech cars of Penske Racing at its state-of-the-art facility, Fan Appreciation Day will include fun and activities for fans of all ages.

With the NASCAR race weekend at Charlotte's Lowe's Motor Speedway gearing up that Friday-Saturday, Penske Racing's stock car standouts will be on hand to meet and greet the fans. Cup Series stars Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and David Stremme will be in attendance along with Nationwide Series rookie standout Justin Allgaier and Penske Racing development driver Parker Kligerman of the ARCA RE/MAX Series.

Just days after the IndyCar Series wraps up its 2009 championship, Penske Racing's Indy drivers will also join the Fan Fest activities. Helio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe and Will Power - all race winners this season - will all be on hand, along with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, at Penske Racing headquarters.

Fans that can't make it to the event in person will be able to experience Fan Fest live through PenskeRacing.com. Photos, video and news from the day's activities will be posted continuously throughout the morning at the Official Internet home of Penske Racing.

Many exciting events are being planned for Penske Racing fans, including special autograph and question and answer sessions with all of the drivers. In addition, Fan Fest attendees will be able to see the wide variety of racing machines that have propelled Penske Racing into Victory Lane, as well as the many trophies the team has earned over the years.

The nearly 425,000-square foot Penske Racing facility is located at 200 Penske Way in Mooresville, NC. This one-of-a-kind race shop houses all of Penske Racing's winning motorsports programs, from the NASCAR Cup and Nationwide Series Dodge Chargers to the Porsche Riley Daytona Prototypes of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series to the legendary IndyCar Series Dallara/Honda racing machines. With more than a million pounds of Italian floor tile, expansive fan viewing areas and unique graphics chronicling Penske Racing's storied history, the home of Penske Racing is unmatched in the United States and is considered one of the world's premiere racing facilities.

"Fan Appreciation Day gives Penske Racing the opportunity to thank our fans for all their support this season," said Jonathan Gibson, Vice President of Marketing for Penske Racing. "We've got some special surprises planned and with a terrific lineup of drivers in attendance and behind-the-scenes access to the facility, this promises to be a special day for Penske Racing fans."

Highlights of the Fan Appreciation Day experience will include:
• 7 to 11 a.m - Live broadcast of the popular Sirius satellite radio's NASCAR channel show "The Morning Drive" hosted by Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone with guest appearances from Penske Racing NASCAR and IndyCar Series drivers
• 8 a.m. - Distribution of autograph tickets to the first 350 people in line at the Penske Racing gift shop, free of charge
• 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. - Q&A session with all Penske Racing drivers
• 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. - All Penske Racing drivers and Rick Mears will sign autographs for the 350 ticket holders
• The 2009 Indianapolis 500-winning car driven by Helio Castroneves to victory this past May will be on special display
• 10% discount on all exclusive merchandise available in Penske Racing's nearly 5,000 square-foot gift shop
• Gourmet refreshments for sale
• Raffle baskets containing unique autographed merchandise with proceeds being donated to the drivers' charities
• Representatives from "Operation Homefront," which benefits U.S. veterans and their families, will be in attendance
• The "Stocks for Tots" children's charity will also be on site accepting donations (cash or unwrapped toy suggested)

Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 313 major race wins, 371 pole positions and 22 National Championships.