The month of May is supposed to be sacred in IndyCar. But instead, Roger Penske is stuck answering questions about integrity — and whether his team even belongs in Sunday’s big race.
With the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 right around the corner, drama has rolled into town. Team Penske, usually seen as the gold standard in IndyCar, is now facing serious heat after officials discovered illegal parts on two of their cars before qualifying, last Sunday. Some fans and even a few insiders think Penske’s cars shouldn’t even be in the race this Sunday.
But Penske’s not buying it.
A Storm Brews at the Brickyard for Roger Penske
This whole mess started when technical officials spotted something sketchy on the back end on two of Penske’s cars — a modified rear attenuator, which is a fancy name for a crash-absorbing safety piece. Problem is that teams are not allowed to modify it.
Yet evidence suggests Team Penske might’ve been using the modified version for a whole year — including when Josef Newgarden won last year’s Indy 500.
Once it was flagged during pre-qualifying checks last Sunday, the team pulled the cars out of the Fast 12 shootout. That meant Newgarden and teammate Will Power would start further back in the field. But many fans think that isn’t enough punishment for such a massive infraction of technical regulations.
They want the cars out of the race altogether. Penske, speaking with FOX Sports’ Jamie Little, made it clear he wasn’t about to let that happen.
NEWS: The Nos. 2 and 12 entries of Team Penske have been penalized for violating Rule 14.7.8.16 related to the discovery of modified attenuators. The cars will be moved to the 32nd and 33rd starting positions for this year’s Indianapolis 500.
Additionally, INDYCAR is suspending… pic.twitter.com/OPP9bdXt2C
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar)
“Well, I don’t agree,” he said. “Those cars went through inspection on Saturday, got the sticker, they performed in the top 12 and were available to run on Sunday. From that point on, there was a question about our cars on Sunday — we actually pulled a car and did not make a run because of the question from the officials. But as far as I’m concerned, they’ve earned the right to be in the 109th Running of the Indy 500.”
Still, he didn’t just sweep it all under the rug. Penske fired three top members of his team’s management — including long time president Tim Cindric — in an effort to show he’s taking accountability. It was a bold move, since Cindric had been part of half of Penske’s Indy 500 wins.
The Weight of Legacy for Roger Penske
Penske doesn’t just own the team. He owns everything, from the racetrack to the series, and the people who enforce the rules. So, when his cars mess up, it raises a big old red flag about conflicts of interest.
Fans have been quick to point that out — saying it’s like being your own umpire, and Penske gets it.
“For probably the last six months, we’ve talked internally as INDYCAR, Mark Miles and Doug Boles, and some outside input on how we can be more independent from the operational side of the racing,” he admitted.
For now, though, Newgarden and Power are in the show — just starting from the back. And Penske’s hoping to put this all behind him.
So, when the green flag drops on Sunday, don’t just watch the race. Keep an eye on ‘The Captain,’ too — because for the first time in a long time, he’s got something to prove.