Racing legend Roger Penske will be the next person to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
President Trump announced Thursday in the Oval Office that Penske, 82, would be granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The announcement came a day after Arthur Laffer, an economist and the author of Trumponomics, received the honor.
“We’re going to be presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Penske. Roger Penske is a great gentleman who has won 18 Indianapolis 500s” as a team owner, Trump said. “He won probably more than anybody in the history of racing. I can’t imagine anybody even being close. But Roger Penske’s going to be getting the medal of freedom and he’s very thrilled to be getting it.”
“He’s very deserving. He’s a great gentleman. I’ve known him a long time,” Trump added.
Penske was formerly a race car driver and has run some of the most successful IndyCar Series and NASCAR teams. Trump and Penske are longtime friends.
During his time in office, Trump has given the award to others, including former Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, baseball legend Babe Ruth, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, golfer Tiger Woods, and Elvis Presley.
