It was 50 years ago today that an Indy car dynasty began to take shape.

On June 15, 1968, a car entered by Roger Penske competed in its first Indy car race. Actually, it was two races, with Mark Donohue behind the wheel of the No. 12 Sunoco Eagle/Chevrolet for the two heats of the Telegraph Trophy 200 at Mosport International Raceway – now Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Penske and Donohue had already found success in sports car racing from the time they paired up. The decision was made to test out the Indy car scene at a road course and Donohue came away with impressive sixth- and fourth-place finishes in the two races as the only Chevy-powered entrant in a field of Fords.

“To me, it is pretty amazing to look back and think that it has been 50 years since our team competed in its first Indy car race,” Penske said. “There have been so many great moments and memories since that first USAC event at Mosport back in 1968, and we are certainly proud that Team Penske is still going strong today in the Verizon IndyCar Series.”

Now 81, the team owner clearly recalls that first race weekend.

“Mark Donohue raced the No. 12 Sunoco Eagle Chevy for us that weekend at Mosport and he did pretty well,” Penske said. “There were two 40-lap heat races for the Telegraph Trophy and Mark finished sixth and fourth, so I guess that was a pretty good start for the team. I remember that Dan Gurney was very strong that weekend – as he usually was – and he won from the pole in both races.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Team Penske entered its first Indianapolis 500 in 1969 (at right). Donohue delivered the first Indy car race win at Pocono Raceway in 1971. Two hundred more victories have been added, the most recent by Will Power in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil last month.

Power’s Indy triumph was a record 17th for Team Penske, which has also collected a record 15 season championships. Roger Penske’s team is the gold standard for Indy car racing.

“To think that it really started there for us (at Mosport 50 years ago today) and now here we are celebrating over 200 Indy car wins and Team Penske’s 17th Indianapolis 500 victory a few weeks ago,” Penske said, “it really says a lot about the commitment and hard work from all of our team members and partners over the years.”

Team Penske will chase Indy car win No. 202 in the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday, June 24. Drivers Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Power will be chasing that next victory for the "Captain" against the rest of the Verizon IndyCar Series field. The race from the popular Wisconsin road course airs live at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.