1994 Penske PC-23 Monoposto

Regarded as one of the most amazing wins in the history of the Indianapolis 500, the Penske-Mercedes PC-23 with its Mercedes-Benz 500I engine is a legend in the racing community. The clean sheet engine was designed, built, tested and raced in just 25 weeks for one purpose only, to win the Indy 500 in 1994. Its creation was done in secret and it blasted through a loophole in the Indy 500 rulebook with over 1000 horsepower from its bespoke 'pushrod' turbocharged V-8 engine. New rules for 1994 were meant to lure turbocharged production 'stock-block' engines to 'The 500.' No one considered that a pure racing pushrod turbo engine might be created. Yet Team Penske did just that.

Driven by Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, and Paul Tracy, it was the first time a Mercedes-Benz-powered vehicle won the race since 1915. Team Penske's Al Unser Jr won the pole for the 78th Indy 500 and teammate Emerson Fittipaldi led 145 laps from outside row one. Unser Jr led 48 laps including the one that counted - lap 200. Upon Unser's victory, the 1024 horsepower turbocharged engine was immediately banned from future competition and relegated to the history books.

This car earned Team Penske its tenth Indy 500 win and the first and last race for the spectacularly powerful Mercedes-Benz engine still known as the 'Beast'. New rules effectively banned the 500I and it never raced again. But it had accomplished its mission with dominating finality.

This PC-23 was driven to victory in the Indy 500 by Al Unser Jr.