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Penske Racing eyes V8 Supercars


A 12,000km flight is set to change the face of V8 Supercars forever. The president of American racing giant, Penske Racing, landed in Sydney on Friday to negotiate a deal that could see one of the world's most famous race teams, run by one of America's most powerful businessmen, join the sport.

In a coup that could tempt Australian NASCAR star Marcos Ambrose to quit America for a V8 homecoming, Penske Racing head Tim Cindric had a series of meetings at the Sydney 500.

Penske Racing, owned by billionaire Roger Penske, operates two of the biggest teams in both NASCAR and IndyCar, and has competed in Formula One. Now the American institution wants in on V8 Supercars.

Cindric held high level talks with V8 Supercars boss James Warburton on the weekend after touring pit lane.

When fronted in pit lane, Cindric confirmed the company's interest in the sport and revealed former American businessman of the year Penske had been in Australia twice in the past two months.

Penske owns one of the largest car dealership chains in the world, operates America's biggest trucking fleet and recently bought Australian trucking company Western Star trucks.

Carsguide has been told he plans to conquer Australia and will use V8 Supercars as a platform to take on Toll and TNT before tackling the car dealership industry.

"Roger has always had racing as part of his business plans. He has been out here a couple of times," Cindric said. “We want to understand it and then work out how to get involved.'' The whirlwind visit sparked talk of a return for Ambrose, who is off contract at the end of the season. V8 officials would not comment on the surprise visitor, or reveal what was discussed in the meetings.