Penske says France can endorse who he pleases

As an executive of a multinational corporation employing more than 50,000, as participant in a sport that relies on sponsor largesse and therefore values image management, Roger Penske figured to have an opinion on NASCAR chairman Brian France endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Penske does: France is free to do as he pleases, but he should have understood the potential outcomes.

“I think that Brian is a smart young guy. He represents a large group of fans, a large group of competitors and drivers and, you know, quite honestly, I applaud him if that’s his interest to support a candidate," Penske said to a small group of reporters Friday during preliminaries for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.