Past Recipients - 38 by 38 - Purdue University

In 2023, Jonathan Hassler, a crew chief at Team Penske paired with driver Ryan Blaney, led a team that won three races and ultimately the coveted NASCAR Cup Series championship. It was a crowning achievement for Hassler, who was only in his second full season as a crew chief, but had logged 14 years with Penske as a race engineer. "In winning the 2023 championship, I joined a group of only two other Team Penske crew chiefs who have been able to deliver championships to the organization — one of the most noted motorsports operations around the world," Hassler said. So far in the 2024 Cup Series, he and team have found victory lane at the Iowa Speedway and at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.

Hassler knew since the age of 13 that he would do whatever necessary to make a career out of racing. His dream had always been to pursue driving, but midway through his time at Purdue, he channeled that energy into a new venture, co-founding Opportunity Motorsports as a way to stay involved in the sport and lend help to local "mom and pop" racing teams "who were happy to secure some free labor," Hassler said.

"My education at Purdue provided me with not only a strong technical background, but also a networking infrastructure that would help me make the connections necessary to secure a job in the very small field of professional motorsports," he said.