Why Porsche Penske IMSA Racer Mathieu Jaminet Will Never Try the Indy 500

Porsche Penske Motorsports driver Mathieu Jaminet says that Josef Newgarden's win at this year's Indianapolis 500 was not one of those I-want-to-try-that-someday moments.

The Indy 500 is not for Jaminet. He'll stick to his Porsche 963 GTP ride in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

"Honestly not. I'm good," Jaminet said. "Yesterday when I saw Josef, I said, 'You're my new hero after what you did last week.' "

Newgarden and fellow Penske stablemate Jaminet are teammates a few times a year on the sports car side. Newgarden drove with the Porsche Penske Motorsports entry at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and he's scheduled to race with the team at the season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Oct. 12.

Jaminet says that Newgarden is always welcome on the sports car side of Penske operation. This weekend, Penske's two teams are located across from each other in the Detroit paddock.

As for the 29-year-old Jaminet—a Frenchman who's raced at Le Mans and who is going back there again in later this month for Porsche Penske Motorsports—he's happy to stay in his lane.

"You need proper commitment and confidence running at 220, 230 miles an hour at Indy," Jaminet said. "Obviously, we do some quick top speeds at Le Mans and in our cars at places like Daytona (for the Rolex 24), but Indy's different. I think I would not have a shot at IndyCar—even if the opportunity ever comes up to do the 500.

"I'm good. I'm gonna just watch it on TV. I want to stay alive.

"But If I get the chance to do the Daytona 500 in NASCAR one day, yeah. I'm a big NASCAR fan. I'm in. I'm definitely in."

This weekend, the pair won the pole for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix event on the streets of the Motor City.

Earlier this season, Jaminet and teammate Nick Tandy (pictured, top) gave racing boss Roger Penske his 100th sports car victory when the pair piloted the team's Porsche 963 GTP to the win at Laguna Seca on May 12.