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TEAM PENSKE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 15, 2017

MERRILL CAIN: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to today's media teleconference to discuss today's announcement that Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron will join Team Penske's Acura ARX‑05 Prototype Program next season and will compete in one of Team Penske's two full season DPI entries in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Joining us today is Team Penske president Tim Cindric; Steve Eriksen, president of Honda Performance Development; two‑time Indianapolis 500 champion and winner in Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports car competition, Juan Pablo Montoya; and 12‑time SportsCar race winner and reigning Prototype Class champion in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Dane Cameron.
We're excited to make the announcement. We'll start out with a couple of questions for the drivers that will be joining the program in 2018. We'll start off with Juan Pablo Montoya.
Juan, you've been linked in the Team Penske sports car program for a while now, how excited are you for this next chapter of your distinguished career?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: I think it's very exciting. We talked about it for a long time with Penske, myself, trying to join this program. I'm pumped. I think working with Dane is going to be a great opportunity, somebody that has run the series, has been a champion, is a great addition to the team, as well.
I think bringing in the Acura name brings performance back, come back to winning. I think it would be amazing to win, to be able to get to Victory Lane with the Acura car.
MERRILL CAIN: We're excited to see you in action, for sure, Juan. Thank you.
Dane, you know how competitive the IMSA Series has been. You've been able to produce a championship in the tough Prototype Class. It will be even tougher next season with the additions coming into the class. Talk about the challenge of being part of the new program with Acura and the opportunity to join Team Penske, also work with a driver and a teammate as accomplished as Juan.
DANE CAMERON: Yeah, absolutely. I think IMSA's Prototype Category is in a special place right now. It seems every week there's an exciting piece of news, and the series keeps continuing to grow and get more and more competitive.
I'm incredibly excited to be joining Team Penske and Acura and be driving with Juan next season. I think we're going to have a lot of great tools at our disposal to hopefully win a lot of races.
I think it's going to be really, really tough. It will be cool to watch this program come to life over the next couple of months as we gear up for Daytona.
MERRILL CAIN: Excited to welcome you to the team, Dane. Congratulations on the announcement today.
It was referenced in the press release earlier today an announcement on the drivers to the team's second ARX‑05 entry as well as additional drivers for next season's endurance races will come at a later date.
We also have Tim Cindric and Steve Eriksen on the call. At this point we'll open it up for questions from the media.

Q. Tim, Roger Penske has accomplished a lot in IndyCar, NASCAR, many forms of motorsports. Why now to get back into sports car racing?
TIM CINDRIC: Yeah, that's a good question. Obviously it's the foundation of our company. It's where we started. It's obviously something that Roger did as a driver, as well. So sports car racing is really where our heritage begins.
We've always had an interest in it from our days way back in 917/10, 917/30 days, the Camaros, all that stuff. A bit of a hiatus until we went back racing with Porsche in ALMS in 2005, '6, '7, '8, the GRAND‑AM Series.
For us, ever since we left the GRAND‑AM Series or ALMS, it's something we looked at every year. We looked at this program, as we left the prototypes, that's where we wanted to be. We had some opportunities, we felt very good opportunities, in the GT, GTLM, that type of thing. We wanted to race for overall victories.
We felt like with the DPI introduction last year, from the time that really came out and was introduced as a form of prototype racing in the U.S., we thought it was much more relevant to the manufacturers. We thought it was something that would give them styling, but also give them the ability to run closer to a production‑based engine.
When Acura approached us to be part of their new launch, we felt like it was a perfect fit. Obviously we've worked with Honda before, and HPD, had quite a bit of success back in 2000, 2001 when we were one of their marquee teams in IndyCar. Then obviously when they were a one‑make series in IndyCar.
It's a good fit for us, and the timing is very good for our overall situation.

Q. Dane and Juan, either of you, you look at the series for 2018 for the Prototype Class, just how competitive the races are with the endurance races, now the addition of Mid‑Ohio, do you think the WeatherTech Series this next year will be the most competitive season in its history?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: I think Dane can answer that part better.
For me personally, it's been competitive. I run in the 24 Hours like seven times. It was always very competitive. There was always fun races, great field. As Tim said, with all the manufacturers coming into the sports car program right now, I think it's exciting, especially in the Prototype Class.
DANE CAMERON: Yeah, certainly, it's every easy to win at the top, especially with the long endurance races. But as I said, I think IMSA has a great structure for the class right now. It's cool too see a lot of great teams jumping onboard, especially Team Penske.
It's not going to be easy to win races. The field is going to keep growing and growing. That's what we want. I hope it continues to raise the profile of sports car racing in IMSA WeatherTech in this country.

Q. Steve, I wanted to ask you whether coming in a year after the DPI regulations were introduced, does that make you better prepared or does it make it harder to catch up, especially when you look at what Cadillac have achieved so far this year?
STEVE ERIKSEN: I think it actually makes the process of getting a car homologated a lot easier. If you looked at the first year, it was a challenge because it had never been done before. The series learned a lot during that process. They've applied their learnings to the steps that are involved in getting your car accepted. It's made it an easier path for us.

Q. Tim, as far as the schedule for getting Juan testing the car, I understand the car is being revealed this Friday, but when do you think you will have it on track? Are there any restrictions to the amount of miles you can do?
TIM CINDRIC: Our plan, depending on how fast everything comes together, is to hit the racetrack before the end of the month. So hopefully we'll be able to achieve that.
With regard to restrictions, it's my understanding that there really aren't many, aside from just resource and time, until we hit Daytona, for the most part.

Q. That must feel good after IndyCar.
TIM CINDRIC: Yeah, you can only do so much in the off‑season with the way the weather is and that type of thing. I think our main focus is to just be sure we're prepared for Daytona.

Q. Tim, you'll obviously be looking at this program, but is there going to be a separate program team manager and are you going to be able to consult with Juan, Dane, and the rest of your driver lineup on their engineering preferences or go elsewhere to find those?
TIM CINDRIC: It's a good question. I guess we're in the infant stages putting together the overall personnel process. Fortunately, after having seen the IMSA Series schedule, how it relates to some of our other schedules, particularly IndyCar where I have an active role, it looks as though I can continue to have an active role in this. So I continue to have less weekends to myself (laughter).
Yeah, I think from my position, I want to be as involved as I can in the program, as does Roger. I think we'll continue.
The Acura guys have a good relationship with Kyle Moyer, as well. He was involved in their program before. I'll probably lean on Kyle a little bit, especially in the beginning, to help me trackside.
Jeff Swartwout, who was involved in our ALMS program, is involved in our Nationwide program as far as a start‑up. Our DJR Team Penske Australian Supercar program, he's come back across from Australia to help us coordinate the start‑up for this as well.
Got some really good, experienced people there. I'm sure it will continue to evolve.

Q. Dane, when you think about the journey you've been on in sports car racing, it's hard to believe you're only 28 even though you've had a lot of opportunity. How did this come about to where you could be able to make this transition at this point in your career?
DANE CAMERON: Yeah, it's all really come together pretty quickly in the last couple days really, to be honest, to get it done. That being said, I really only signed the contract last night. It's kind of escalated pretty quickly.
I'm really excited about a tremendous opportunity to represent Acura and to work with everyone here at Team Penske. I haven't seen much yet so far, but been getting around, shaking a couple hands, been really impressed so far. Quite excited with what lies ahead.

Q. Mr. Montoya, tell me about sim testing you've been able to do so far. If you haven't, what does your immediate schedule look like for getting a feel for the ARX‑05? Maybe the same question to Dane.
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: As Dane said, the only thing we've seen of the car, I did a seat fitting the other day. That's all I've done. In the next couple weeks, we're going to start doing some testing, hopefully get used to having a roof over my head again.
It's exciting. I'm really excited about the opportunity to work with Acura and stay with Team Penske. It's all about winning. There's no better place to have an opportunity to win than at Team Penske.

Q. About being partnered with Dane, how much have you gotten to know each other in the past? Meeting each other for the first time? Do you think this California‑Colombian dynamic could be a good one?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: Personally, I think it's very exciting for me because Dane is a young guy, is a guy that has run the series, understands the series. I think he has a lot of knowledge.
I've been driving all kinds of cars. As you know, I've driven everything. I've been successful at everything. I'm excited to bring something to the table, and at the same time as a driver, find something new, learn new things.
I think we can work together really well and hopefully bring a ton of victories.

Q. Dane, what does this represent for you, driving for Team Penske? Obviously you wanted to get to a place where you're getting hired by factory teams. You're there now with Cadillac. What does driving for Roger mean to you? Have you told Juan that the DPIs aren't as strong as the old DPs, you can't bang wheels as much without damage?
DANE CAMERON: Yeah, it's a tremendous opportunity for me, one I'm very excited about. I think anyone whoever decides they want to be a racing driver at some point I think you'd love an opportunity to drive for Roger Penske.
I'm really excited to be in a place in my career and have it line up where this opportunity really came across, have it line up.
Obviously kind of dabbled coming in and out of sports cars in the past. It's exciting for me to be in a good place in my career and make a return back to sports cars with Acura. Again, looking forward to working with everybody there, working with that brand. So it's cool to see it's all come together.
Yeah, enjoyed some good success in sports cars over the past couple years. But this is kind of a gold star to put on top of it, for sure. I look forward to more success with Juan over the next couple years.

Q. Dane, how soon do you think you'll be able to get in the car? Any restrictions right now given your commitment with Action Express?
DANE CAMERON: Yeah, for the time being, I'll just be focused on my role with Action Express and with Whelen Engineering, finishing up the season there. I won't be spending any time in the car until post‑season. I'm looking forward to put my best foot forward to win the next two races for Sonny Whelen and (indiscernible). Once the off‑season comes around, start to make the transition.

Q. Tim, we've heard a lot of rumors through the months, the possibility of Helio being part of this program. We obviously don't know the two other drivers for this lineup. Is it safe to assume that Helio will be a part of the lineup, whether a full‑season driver or endurance driver? Is it still too early to confirm that?
TIM CINDRIC: Obviously we're trying to keep him focused on the last four races of that championship. That's kind of where his head is right now. For us to speculate, it's probably a little too early for that.
I think as we look at things, you know, from our end, understanding that the next car and the endurance drivers, there's a long list of drivers on both of those fronts that we're sorting through. We want to be able to put out I guess a lineup to start with as far as once we knew what one of our lineups was, instead of waiting to have everything put in place, we wanted to get these guys out there and make sure that they're focused on the next steps.
Obviously Juan will take on the brunt of the testing here while the other guys either become available or finish up what they're doing or what have you. I think it's probably too early to tell.

Q. In terms of the testing program, have you outlined the different tracks you're going to be running at?
TIM CINDRIC: We're working through that right now. A lot of it has to do with really how we approach it, the way in which we try to approach it is to be sure when we go to a test that it's meaningful, that we're prepared for that. We're just going through the process of trying to find the right people to be involved in it, as well.
It's difficult to do that until the various seasons end because usually the better people are employed for good reason. We're trying to get ourselves organized for the off‑season, then decide where the priorities are.

Q. Dane, you've had a lot of success here the last couple of seasons with Action Express. Curious what emotions you have associated with leaving a team that you've been able to have a great deal of success with?
DANE CAMERON: It's been a really terrifically successful three‑year stretch, to win a bunch of races, to win a title. I really enjoyed myself there, really want to thank everyone there for not only the opportunity to go there in the first place, but then for great cars and teams and great results.
It wasn't an easy decision at all to come to this point. It's been a good home for me there. Yeah, it was not easy, but an opportunity to work closely with Acura and to join Team Penske was a little too good for me to pass up.
I'm looking forward to the future, but also remaining focused and committed to having a strong couple races here to close out the current IMSA season.

Q. Juan, obviously open‑wheel racing, be it Formula One or IndyCar, is naturally a fairly selfish sport. You can tune the car exactly the way you want it. As you're developing the new Acura ARX‑05, are you going to have to bear in mind this car is not just going to be driven by you, you're crucial for setting up the car for Dane and whoever your teammates prove to be?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: Honestly, we've experienced this before in sports car racing. Honestly, as well, if you look at IndyCar, for example, within Team Penske, most of us always ended up, you know, going towards one single setup, even when we had four cars on the same team. Even at Indy, if you look at the end of Indy, all four or five cars this year were very close together.
I'm not too worried about that. I think initially we want to make it try to drive good. I think we'll have problems each that we need to improve. I don't know because I haven't driven the car. I wouldn't know what to expect.
I'm sure, as we get more along the lines of, Okay, we need to start finding some performance, we need to find performance to the point that everybody is happy in the car. I think number one priority is make sure the car runs. I'm sure when we go testing at the beginning, it's going to be more of going through what Acura needs for their engine, what Team Penske needs for the chassis, get laps and get information and get comfortable.
I couldn't tell you what I need out of the car because I haven't even driven the car.

Q. Dane, do you think your experience from this year is going to be a great guide for instructing the team for what you think is required to beat what will then be your old team next year?
DANE CAMERON: It will be fun to be a part of the early stages of the program and try to contribute as best I can.
Obviously Team Penske is what it is because of the people that are in place, as well as Acura and the engine that's going to be part of the program. I think it's pretty well‑sorted. Hopefully I'll be able to help out with more of the intricacies about the series, the way the tires work. It has its own unique pit stop rules, things like that. The way the races play out as well as some of the tracks we haven't been to before, some of the other drivers haven't been to before. A couple places maybe Juan hasn't been to, one or two of the only places in the world he hasn't made it to.
I think the car and everything else will take care of itself.

Q. Do you expect to be able to come out of the box and contend for at least pole position at Daytona, even if it might be too much of an ask to go trouble free?
DANE CAMERON: I don't see why not. I don't think anyone who is involved with this program is doing it for any other reason except to win races and championships and pole positions. I think as a driver you always have that expectation for yourself.
I don't think anyone expects more out of ourselves than Juan and I will. I don't see any reason why we can't come out of the gate strong at Daytona.

Q. Juan, can we expect to see you in Penske IndyCars in May? Is that something you still want to do? And Tim, the organization has expanded driver rosters, different series in the last several years. Does that mean the racing business is getting better or the Roger Penske business is still good or getting better?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: I think personally at the moment we need to focus on sports cars. If the opportunity comes to go to Indy with Team Penske, I wouldn't say no. You know what I mean? I would say yes in a heartbeat. You know when you're going with Team Penske, you're going there with an opportunity to win the Indy 500. We done it already. We've been close a few times as well. I think if the opportunity arises, I would jump on it head in completely.
TIM CINDRIC: From my end, when the opportunity presents itself to put winning programs on the track, that's kind of what we're all about as a racing organization. I guess sometimes you count how many that is, and you look at it.
It's one of the things we weigh every year, especially when it comes to expansion where we're basically adding a Cup program, a sports car program, we have to look at that every year.
I think that's one of the things we continue to look at even on the IndyCar front. We ran five cars at Indy this year. That's not an easy task when you're adding some of these other things as well.
It's something we continue to weigh. We've never been in this business to make money. The Penske organization isn't one that adds cars for that reason. Really it's a matter of opportunity. This is one for us that we feel like factory‑backed program at the pinnacle of sports car racing in this country, is really important to us.
Obviously one of our key businesses and core businesses is the car dealership business. When you're able to cross‑pollinate across the different manufacturers, represent them on the weekends at the racetracks, that helps us sell cars as well. It's really all interconnected.

Q. Juan, when you look at the year you've had, it's been a busy one without having a full‑time ride. Has this year been a relaxing year? How have you adjusted to being still busy but not in a full‑time, one‑series role?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: It's been weird because at the beginning of the year, it was actually really calm until Indy. We had a little testing here or there, but it wasn't much. Then two months with (indiscernible) for racing in Europe. Till then it's been non‑stop. I think the next three, four months are going to be non‑stop.
But I don't mind that. I really don't mind. Doing the testing for the IndyCar has been a lot of fun for the '18 IndyCar. There's no pressure. Just go there, you know, drive the wheels out of it with no compromise. That makes it fun.

Q. Dane, the possibility of the thing in May with Indy, is that something you would ever consider a possibility? Now you have possibly the team you're driving for, maybe you'd consider it?
DANE CAMERON: I mean, of course you're not going to say no if any opportunities come up. Being that I've never raced on an oval ever in my life, ever sat in an IndyCar, it's probably a pretty longshot.
Yeah, you never know what happens. But I'd say that's highly unlikely at this stage.

Q. Juan, you've been testing IndyCars all year. You haven't got in the Acura sports car yet. How much a difference do you think there will be between the new 2018 IndyCar and the Acura car?
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: I couldn't tell you. I don't know. I really don't know. I drove the Porsche a couple years ago for a test, they invited me to test the car. I've driven from there. I've driven what they used to be calls the Daytona Prototypes. I've driven Cup cars.
It's hard to judge. I think it would be a fun car. From what everybody says, it has a ton of grip. I always enjoy driving the Daytona Prototypes because you could throw them around a lot. These cars seem to have a lot more downforce and a lot more power, so I'm excited. I just don't know what to expect.
I think it's going to be a lot better and a lot quicker than what I'm thinking. That's really exciting.

Q. Tim, the remainder of the driver lineup, do you have a set deadline of when you would like to have that determined? Is it up in the air right now?
TIM CINDRIC: There's no set deadline at the moment. I think it's important for us to get the right lineup rather than trying to push things out too early or setting deadlines for ourselves.
The answer to your question is I think we'll get through this piece of it, get out there testing, hopefully things will come together. We'd much rather make some announcements as they come forth.
The answer to your question is no, there's not a deadline or any real pressure aside from just checking that box that we have for completing the driver lineup.

Q. Would you expect separate announcements in terms of the two other full‑season drivers, then the endurance drivers separately?
TIM CINDRIC: I wouldn't speculate. I think it all depends on what comes together when.
MERRILL CAIN: Went to thank everyone for participating in today's media teleconference. Came together kind of late in the game, we appreciate everyone dialing in with some great questions. We're all excited to see all the drivers in action at Daytona in January to begin the 2018 season and the new era of the Acura ARX‑05 with Team Penske.

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