Roger Penske has lengthy been one of many classiest and most profitable multi-team house owners in motorsports for greater than six many years. He additionally believes in forgiving and forgetting, giving individuals who have labored for him and who’ve made errors – whether or not intentional or not – second possibilities.
The 88-year-old Penske’s beneficiant and forgiving soul was on show but once more Thursday when he basically forgave and introduced former workforce president Tim Cindric again into the group.
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Cindric returns to Crew Penske in a smaller and fewer highly effective position than his earlier place, serving solely as chief strategist within the upcoming IndyCar season for the group’s No. 3 Chevrolet pushed by New Zealand native Scott McLaughlin. The position will primarily be a part-time state of affairs for race weekends solely. Cindric had beforehand accomplished double responsibility in his former position as workforce president, additionally serving as chief strategist for two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time IndyCar Collection champion Josef Newgarden.
initially fired Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and basic supervisor Kyle Moyer previous to final yr’s Indianapolis 500 on account of penalties incurred – many critics known as it outright dishonest – throughout qualifying for the Best Spectacle in Racing. Penske not solely owns the workforce, however he additionally owns the NTT IndyCar Collection and the world’s most well-known racetrack, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At the same time as worthwhile to the group as Cindric and the others had been, Penske wasn’t about to place up with the dangerous look and status the infractions gave to his normally clear and spotless firm.
Right here’s the remainder of the workforce’s strategist lineup for 2026
As for the opposite two automobiles within the 2026 Crew Penske IndyCar lineup, Cindric’s successor as president, Jonathan Diuguid, will function strategist for the No. 2 Chevrolet pushed by Newgarden, whereas Travis Legislation will likely be strategist for workforce newcomer David Malukas, who replaces Will Energy, whose contract was not renewed after final season and has since joined Andretti International for this season and past.
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Cindric returns to Crew Penske after logging greater than a quarter-century with the group, working his manner up by means of the ranks earlier than his abrupt dismissal final Might. Although he was fired for trigger, his depth of data as a strategist was an excessive amount of of a strong pressure for Penske to disregard. Primarily, Crew Penske is a greater workforce with Cindric, even in a part-time position, than with out him.
“Tim Cindric brings many years of expertise to Scott’s timing stand, and given his expertise and time inside our group, he will likely be an ideal addition to our lineup on race day within the position of race strategist,” Diuguid mentioned in a social media publish.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 20: Penske Crew President Tim Cindric throughout Pole Day for the Indianapolis 500 on Might 19, 2018, on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana (Photograph by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire) AUTO: MAY 20 IndyCar Indy Automobile IRL USA Collection – Indianapolis 500 Pole Day PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon05191850500
Cindric’s meteoric rise from his begin with the workforce in 1999 to turning into the group’s president simply seven years later was an indicator of how necessary he was to all aspects and groups inside Crew Penske (together with IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, World Endurance Championship and a number of other different collection), the place he was president from 2006 by means of 2024 earlier than scaling again by option to serve solely as president of the group’s IndyCar program.
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Throughout his practically 20-year tenure because the group’s general president and second in command behind solely Penske, Cindric oversaw an unimaginable program of success, with over 400 victories and 31 championships throughout a number of collection, together with IndyCar, NASCAR, and extra. His wins complete as Crew Penske president consists of 10 Indianapolis 500 wins.
Cindric can focus solely on McLaughlin and assist him probably win an IndyCar Championship
Now that he’s again within the Crew Penske fold and with no administrative or management duties for the general group, it should give Cindric nice latitude and adaptability to focus solely on McLaughlin, how every race goes, and placing his driver in the very best place to achieve success.
“I missed the competitors,” Cindric informed RACER journal. “Six months in the past, I most likely would have informed you that (returning to Penske) wasn’t one thing that was within the playing cards. Then I obtained some gives the place I believed which may not be a foul gig, all issues thought-about, and after I left [Penske], I informed them I actually didn’t suppose I’d be trying to come again.”
Jonathan Diuguid Leitender Direktor Porsche Penske Motorsport Braselton United States of America *** Jonathan Diuguid Govt Director Porsche Penske Motorsport Braselton United States of America
Added Diuguid to RACER, “The best way I might describe it’s, it’s my job to at all times make certain the very best gamers are going to play. I used to be shocked that Tim reached out, however I used to be glad that he did. We’ve accomplished quite a lot of restructuring within the workforce, and with the ability to convey anyone like Tim again on board places us in a really robust place, and may permit us to have extra capability to concentrate on all of the stuff that we’ve been attempting to do by means of the center of summer season and thru the winter, to place the workforce again to the place it must be. I couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about it, to be sincere.”
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Cindric has performed a pivotal position in McLaughlin’s shift from profitable three Australian Supercar championships to his transfer throughout the Pacific Ocean and to IndyCar a number of years in the past. He’s made spectacular progress and has been a constant competitor for the IndyCar championship. With Cindric now as his strategist, it could possibly be the ultimate piece of the puzzle McLaughlin must win his first IndyCar crown.
“This appears like probably the most unimaginable reward,” McLaughlin informed RACER. “I’m tremendously honored to have Tim with us on the three. He’s achieved a lot on this sport already. … He’s considered one of us and I perceive what he’s accomplished for our workforce for a few years. Tim is a pal of mine, and now to enter racing and battle with him as a pal, and a man that’s simply utterly and completely centered on me, from a race technique perspective, to have that focus from a man that’s obtained the competitiveness and tenacity to be the very best, it’s an enormous honor.”
Whereas McLaughlin will likely be Cindric’s major focus, simply having him within the paddock and on pit highway will even serve to assist Newgarden and Malukas, as effectively. It’s a win-win for Cindric and Crew Penske. Whereas the general dynamic could also be uncommon – the place a man who was publicly embarrassed by his stunning firing is introduced again into the fold lower than a yr later – that Penske gave Cindric a second probability greater than reveals how a lot respect for and religion in he nonetheless has for Cindric.
Crew Penske is healthier off with Cindric than with out him — and final season proved it
Plus, for those who’re the winningest workforce proprietor in IndyCar historical past like Penske is, it’s straightforward to reply one crucial and essential query: Is Crew Penske higher off with Cindric again within the fold or not — particularly after a uncommon off-year for all three Penske drivers in 2025: Energy completed a team-best but nonetheless dismal ninth, adopted by McLaughlin (10) and Newgarden (12). And the three-car workforce managed only a collective two-win season, with Energy and Newgarden each incomes one win apiece, whereas McLaughlin failed to achieve victory lane, one thing he hopes dramatically adjustments in 2026 now with Cindric on his pit field.
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Satirically, the person who changed Energy, Malukas, completed proper in the course of the Penske triumvirate final season with an Eleventh-place season displaying.
Cindric’s son, Austin, has raced for Crew Penske in NASCAR for practically the final decade, together with profitable the 2020 Xfinity Collection championship, and enters his fifth full-time season in 2026 within the premier NASCAR Cup Collection. The youthful Cindric has gained three races within the Cup ranks, together with a startling upset win as a rookie Cup driver within the 2022 Daytona 500, in addition to 13 wins within the Xfinity (now the O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection) ranks.
