“Probably Making $11 a Day”- Roger Penske’s IMS Ownership Prompts Perfect Fairy Tale Story From NASCAR Insider

Brickyard Crossing stands out as one of the top 10 most unique golf courses in the nation, and for good reason. It’s nestled right inside the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This iconic speedway has seen over a century of action, and the golf course on its legendary grounds shares a similar vintage charm. The story of the course dates back to 1929 when Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, inspired by track founders Carl Fisher and Jim Allison, decided to plant a golf course there. Their vision? To create a year-round revenue stream that could finance further developments.

Fast forward to today, under the ownership of billionaire Roger Penske, the track’s tales continue to evolve. Jason Stewart, a former groundskeeper at Brickyard Crossing, reminisced about his days there. He reflected on the quieter times, before the glitz and glamour when the paycheck was modest but the experience priceless. He muses that a lot has changed since he first set foot at IMS in May 1999.

Indianapolis Speedway insider, Jason Stewart, has gotten the hang of his expanded duties since Roger Penske became the owner

Jason shares a close professional bond with Roger Penske, who he says holds a deep affection for the place. He recalled how, even amid the pandemic, Penske would make regular visits to check on everything happening on the ground. The golf course superintendent revealed a shift in his mindset after Penske came aboard. He used to believe in the necessity of a rigid master plan, but the approach of Roger Penske altered that perspective.

Jason also opened up about the personal journey of being tied to a place for so long. Reflecting on the track, he reminisced about simpler times before his role as superintendent piled on responsibilities. “When my wife, Denise, and I got out of school, we bought a house and lived two blocks away. There were no cameras, there was no security. It was our playground. We would just come in here and drive on the track. I could go fishing at night. I could play golf, we could ride our bikes, whatever we wanted. I was probably making $11 an hour. It was all worth it.”

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His journey saw him rise from assistant superintendent in 2002, following the Pete Dye renovation, to superintendent in 2017, and eventually to grounds superintendent of the entire property in 2020 adding to his responsibilities with every passing year. In fact, according to a survey, Jason revealed that his dedication to the property often sees him there for 12 hours a day, six days a week.

Jason Stewart has been putting in a Herculean effort, clocking up to 51 hours each day for the last 24 years

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The survey shows that the life of a superintendent follows the rhythm of the seasons: an average of 39 hours a week in the chill of winter, ramping up to 48 in the budding spring, peaking at 51 in the blazing summer, and easing to 45 in the mellow fall. Their responsibilities aren’t spread out evenly either. On average, they dedicate 40.9% of their time to maintenance, 27.3% to managing their team, 24.5% to the nitty-gritty of business tasks, and the remaining 7.2% to a mix of varied duties.

For Jason Stewart, the day starts before the rooster crows, at 4:15 AM, landing him at the office by 4:45 AM. In his world, ‘scheduled lunch’ is a foreign concept. It’s usually a quick power bar or a bite on the fly, squeezed in during a whirl around the course. His day winds down when he returns to his wife and kids around 6 PM.

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Despite the collective effort and his own tireless dedication, Jason still feels that the 51-hour workweek estimate seems a bit on the low side to him.