Although scandals in motorsports are not as common as some other sports, they are not entirely non-existent either. Every once in a while the news of a new scandal shakes up the community and calls for stricter rules.
Two of the biggest motorsports tournaments in the U.S., NASCAR and IndyCar have also been involved in big scandals from time to time. While these scandals often stir up big controversies, they also severely tarnish the reputation of the involved parties.
The latest scandal in IndyCar involved one of the biggest teams in the competition, Team Penske. After the scandal became public, team owner Roger Penske decided to offboard several members of his organization including Austin Cindric’s father, Tim Cindric.
Cindric, who had been silent since the decision, finally gave his take on the matter on his X handle.
What Led to Team Penske Firing Austin Cindric’s Dad, Tim Cindric
Team Penske is not one of the most successful teams in IndyCar, it is the most successful team in the tournament. Over the years, it has won over 250 races, 17 titles, and 19 Indy 500s, and that is just the team’s record in IndyCar.
Having such a record, the team, naturally, has been the center of media attention. However, due to the organization’s extremely professional and disciplined approach, it has rarely been associated with scandals.
That changed first in 2024 when the news of a major scandal involving Team Penske drivers broke out.
Two of the team’s drivers Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were involved in the push-to-pass software manipulation. On Mar. 10, 2024, after Newgarden won the race in Florida and McLaughlin came in third, the post-race inspections revealed both cars using the push-to-pass in impermissible ways.
Several fingers were pointed out after the revelation and while Chevrolet denied any part in it, Team Penske suspended four individuals as an appropriate measure.
Earlier this year, the team also announced Cindric’s stepping down from the day-to-day leadership. Cindric, who joined the organization in 1999, rose through the ranks to become the president of Team Penske’s IndyCar division.
As the heat of the upcoming Indy500 was on the rise, several fan-favorite drivers had their eyes on them. Among these was Newgarden. The No. 2 driver was found to be at the heart of another scandal in the qualifying sessions.
In a routine check, officials found illegal component modifications on the rear attenuators of Will Power and Newgarden’s cars.
This once again brought the spotlight in Team Penske’s direction, and not for the right reasons. In response to this, Penske decided to fire Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, and Kyle Moyer from the organization.
Team Penske statement and Roger Penske quote on Team Penske INDYCAR personnel changes: pic.twitter.com/EmzWY7YUnX
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske)
While several questions were raised about the move and offboarding of long-time Team Penske employees, except for the official statement, there weren’t any other comments from the involved parties.
However, on May 22, Cindric took to his X handle to give his brief take on the matter.
It’s been an amazing ride!
While my conscience remains clear through all of the noise and accusations, I’m grateful to have so many great people to draw strength from in times like this. Still standing tall!
— Tim Cindric (@TimCindric)
The former IndyCar president of Team Penske indirectly denied his role in the scandal, saying:
“It’s been an amazing ride!
While my conscience remains clear through all of the noise and accusations, I’m grateful to have so many great people to draw strength from in times like this. Still standing tall!”
While there is a lot of talk about the matter, how this will affect Cindric legally and what repercussions his son, Austin Cindric, a NASCAR driver for Team Penske, will have to face, if any, still remain unclear.