In their respective ways, Roger Penske and Jean Guichet both made professional careers in competition. After retiring as a driver, Penske became one of the most powerful businessmen and team owners in motosport. Guichet impressed Enzo Ferrari by performances that led him to win the 24 Hours in 1964.

In 1963, Guichet took the start in his sixth 24 Hours. That year, for Penske's only participation as a driver, he represented North American Racing Team (NART) owned by three-time winner and U.S. Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti. Penske teamed up with Pedro Rodríguez. Roger Penske: "We had a relationship with Luigi Chinetti. He was a Ferrari distributor in New York, and because I was a racer, he contacted me and asked me if I'd like to run in the 24 Hours. I knew Pedro and his brother Ricardo because we raced against them in the United States in sports car racing. That was a wonderful time for me being able to race there. The Mulsanne Straight did not have chicanes then. It was just amazing when you see it today, with the speeds and the technology generated out of that. Today, drivers look at technology, lap times; we had none of that in those days. It was interesting, with the crowd, we had all the cars in the garage near the track and we could see all the Ferraris lined up. It was not like today's secret environment." In 1963, the 330 TRI/LM of Penske-Rodríguez was forced to retire, as was the 330 LM of Jean Guichet-Pierre Noblet.

Already third in 1961 and second in 1962, the following year the duo took the start in their third consecutive and final 24 Hours. Guichet became a factory Ferrari driver in 1964 and won the race with Nino Vaccarella, one of two teammates who shared his respect for the car. Jean Guichet: "I heard about the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the press. What interested me about Le Mans is that you have to know how to go fast without breaking the car, damaging the brakes, etc. It all made the 24 Hours very attractive to drivers. Pierre Noblet and I raced together and always remembered we had to preserve the car and never go beyond the parameters we had set for ourselves. Certainly one never tried to be faster than the other. And there was also absolutely no mistrust between Nino and me either; we got along very well. We were always in agreement on how not to exceed the limits of the car."

Today Jean Guichet (born on 20 August 1927) is the dean of previous winners of the 24 Hours, one of the last great races missing from 83-year-old team owner Roger Penske's list of accolades: "Le Mans is the Number One challenge, the challenge I haven't been able to achieve. We've won many other motor races around the world (namely the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Ed.) and I hope that with the new rules package, we will have an opportunity to race at Le Mans."

PHOTOS: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS: Above, in 1963 Roger Penske shared this Ferrari 330 TRI/LM with Mexican driver Pedro Rodríguez who that year clinched the first pole position in the history of the race. Below, the 250 GT of Jean Guichet and Pierre Noblet, third in 1961.