Few root for Detroit more than racing and business icon Roger Penske

Roger Penske was a big force behind IndyCar's return to Belle Isle in Detroit.

Roger Penske was raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, but feels a kinship with Detroit. He's loved it (and the private sector) through prosperous times and bad, and there was a lot of bad—very, very bad—in the last decade. 

With the cradle of American auto manufacturing finding its footing, Autoweek asked Penske about its comeback, his part in it, and how the return of the Chevrolet Belle Isle Grand Prix presented by shopautoweek.com he championed has played a part.

Really, all we had to say was “Detroit—go!”

Roger Penske: Detroit is my home and Detroit is our city. Ever since being involved in the Super Bowl [as host committee chair] back in 2006, I've taken great interest in trying to be a part of rebuilding the city overall. I think there's the infrastructure, the downtown area, there's been huge efforts there, and I think the Riverwalk certainly—with the stadiums being built over the last 10 years—have made a huge difference.

GM being back on their feet with Quicken [Loans] moving 3,000 people downtown, Blue Cross/Blue Shield moving their people downtown, out of the suburbs and back downtown. We have a Live Detroit [Fund] where we'll support young people who have a job in Detroit, we'll support some of their purchase of a loft, or even support some of their rent. So there's a lot of things going on by the private sector. We've committed the private sector to trying to build a $125 million rail line from New Center down Woodward Avenue down to the river, so the commitment on the private sector has never been higher. I think the state of Michigan is in better shape. It's got a positive fiscal position, which is very important, and they're taking a strong position on trying to get Detroit city finances squared away.

The one thing we do know is fiscally, the city is in trouble. We have infrastructure for 2 million, and we've got a population of 800,000. We have an education problem. Those are the key things. Once we fix the fiscal part of this, and maybe turning the lighting over to the private sector, and the rapid transit and Detroit D-Dot and the regional transportation programs where they get turned over to the private sector, I think you're going to see those take good traction and make a difference. Overall, the race coming to Detroit is a part of people giving back. Bud Denker, who works for us, has really taken that on. We've had tremendous support by all of the companies in the city.

AW: What was the spark for Detroit—perhaps the government auto bailout?

RP: When the Super Bowl became a reality and we had so much buy-in from the private sector and even the city and the state, that was an important part of it. But I think the continued support by people like [Compuware CEO Peter] Karmanos and [Quicken Loans CEO] Dan Gilbert, [and] now other people within the city. You've got museums and sports teams, [local product and Red Wings and Tigers owner Mike] Ilitch, and Bill Ford with the Lions has been a huge part of the success. The downtown Detroit Partnership which is really an amalgamation of the key business people in the city, all bound together, and I think the integration with the business community and mayor and city council, there's a lot more access than we've had. 

Is it perfect? The answer is no. We still get a bad rap on safety, but I think it's one of the things, “safe and clean” is a motto we're trying to perpetuate through the city, and quite honestly with the state of Michigan, because the auto industry has really rebounded and they're tangibly—Ford, Chrysler, GM—investing in the state [and] creating more jobs. And then the supplier community, which is a lot around Michigan and the Detroit area, they're going to get the benefit of this, which is a big part of it, too.