Penske team names Geisler to oversee NASCAR program

Penske Racing announced today the appointment of Travis Geisler to the position of Competition Director for the storied organization. Geisler, the former crew chief of the No. 77 Dodge driven by Sam Hornish Jr. in the NASCAR Cup Series, will be responsible for coordinating all facets of Penske Racing’s NASCAR racing programs between the organization’s crew chiefs and its engineering department.

“I am very excited about this new challenge," said Geisler. “With all of the resources and experience at Penske Racing, we have the opportunity to build on the high level of competition that we have established in NASCAR and continue to develop our programs for the future."

In his new position, Geisler will report directly to Penske Racing Vice President of Operations, Michael Nelson.

“We are fortunate to have someone as talented as Travis inside the walls of Penske Racing," said Nelson. “His experience as a crew chief, along with his engineering background, will be a valuable resource as a liaison between our current crew chiefs and our engineering department. This is a move that will provide us with depth and improved efficiency as we move into the 2011 season."

A former go kart racer who earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University, Geisler drove in both the ARCA Series and the Nationwide Series. He joined Robert Yates Racing as a race engineer in 2006 before coming on board at Penske Racing. Geisler quickly advanced from team engineer on the No. 12 Cup Series team to crew chief for Hornish and the No. 77 Dodge, beginning in 2008.