Preparations are revving up for the 100th anniversary event for the Vancouver International Auto Show, and a noticeable addition to this year’s opening day line-up is automotive and racing great Roger Penske.
As our special guest to the Vancouver International Auto Show, Mr. Penske will take part in a breakfast panel for media and industry attendees on opening day, Wednesday, March 25th. He’ll discuss the global automotive sector and other exciting topics alongside Canadian Automotive Icon Jim Pattison and other industry leaders.
Penske first fell in love with racing after attending the Indianapolis 500 with his father in the 1950s. By the end of that same decade he was a standout race car driver.
Back in 1965, he walked away from his career as a race car driver to focus on business and his success continued as a Chevrolet dealer in Philadelphia, but his passion for the track also continued. The former race car driver assembled his own race team in 1966 and Team Penske has been in the winner’s circle many times since. The team has more than 540 all-time race wins – including a record 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, and 37 national championships.
Penske is well decorated for his career both on and off the track. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fall in 2019, and the Automotive Hall of Fame back in 2015. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, which is the highest civilian honour award in the United States.
He’s made a name for himself in the racing world since he began racing, and over the past 50 years has become one of the greatest leaders and innovators in both the automotive and racing industry. We are thrilled to welcome him to this year’s event!
If you’d like to see a couple of Team Penske’s winning racing cars up close and personal, you’re in luck. He’ll be bringing two to the Auto Show – the Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Josef Newgarden to the 2019 IndyCar Series Championship and the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winning car that was driven by Will Power.
The opening day line-up also includes an 100th Anniversary ribbon cutting ceremony which Roger Penske will take part in.
The 100th edition of the Vancouver International Auto Show rolls into the Vancouver Convention Centre West from March 25 to March 29, 2020.
Check out the latest in vehicle unveils and find something that suits your unique lifestyle at this milestone event. For more information on the Show and to purchase tickets, visit www.VancouverInternationalAutoShow.com.
Kicking off on March 1st, the New Car Dealers Foundation of BC (NCDF) will present a 50/50 raffle that will allow attendees of the Vancouver International Auto Show to participate for a good cause. A portion of the funds raised will support education grants and scholarships that are available each year to students studying in careers that lead to jobs with BC’s New Car Dealers. The Raffle starts online on March 1 at http://www.newcardealersfoundation.ca/ and continues in person on March 25 at the Auto Show. The lucky winner will be drawn on March 29 at 5pm at the Vancouver International Auto Show.
Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at [email protected].
