Could 18, 2025 — High 12 qualifying was about to get underway for the 109th operating of the Indianapolis 500.
It was already a troublesome morning for Group Penske, as 2024 pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin suffered an airborne crash in apply, forcing him out of qualifying. Nonetheless, not one of the Penske trio ended up collaborating in qualifying that day.
Simply earlier than the start of the High 12 qualifying spherical, Penske mechanics began frantically working behind their automobiles, inflicting an uproar from their rivals. They had been making an attempt to rectify an issue that was found through the technical inspection of Josef Newgarden’s No. 2 automotive. The No. 12 of Will Energy had the identical downside, however that was not discovered till it was re-checked. The impulsive try to repair the difficulty within the pit lane itself was its personal violation, and solely worsened the matter.
“There was a physique match violation on the rear attenuator,” defined IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch quickly after. “As fast as this course of occurs, we ran them by way of tech, we received everyone in line after which previous to qualifying, they determined that they’d simply pull out of line.”
Chaos and controversy erupted. With the automobiles being owned by the identical identify that ran your entire sequence, and only one yr faraway from one other scandal involving the Penske automobiles, folks had been understandably sensitive — and outraged. It additionally did not assist that video and images from the infield museum shortly emerged, exhibiting the identical modification on Newgarden’s successful automotive from the 2024 Indy 500.
Diving deeper into modified attenuators
In keeping with sources that spoke with Motorsport.com contributor Bozi Tatarevic on the time, this is the backstory: “Group Penske began receiving these up to date attenuators again from Dallara in early 2024 and members of management weren’t happy with the aesthetics of the brand new glued-on panels as they confirmed a vivid glue line that stood out and with a big raised edge. A member of the technical management is rumored to have instructed members of their workforce to “clear up” the sides on the items as a way to make the intense glue stand out much less so these technicians utilized a darkish compound to the sides and smoothed them out.”
These modified attenuators had been in use for effectively over a yr, together with the 2024 version of the Indy 500. That a lot is definite. A tsunami of questions adopted this revelation, together with how IndyCar inspectors probably missed it for therefore lengthy.
Whereas the modifications may enhance airflow, there was debate between these with technical data of the automobiles if there was actually any tangible benefit to those unapproved modifications, or if it was simply aesthetics. No matter intent, it did not change the truth that these had been unapproved modifications that ought to have been caught months prior.
The instant fallout
Whereas the scandal exploded far past the IndyCar bubble, few may have predicted the true scope of the fallout. To guard “the integrity of the Indianapolis 500,” Newgarden and Energy had been despatched to the rear of the sphere. Group strategists Tim Cindric and Ron Ruzewski had been each suspended, and a effective of $100,00 was issued to each groups. Curiously, McLaughlin’s automotive didn’t have the identical discrepancy on the attenuator.
But it surely did not finish there. Days later, Roger Penske determined to scrub home of a few of his most loyal executives. Lengthy-time president Tim Cindric was ousted after 26 years with the group (he additionally labored because the race strategist for Newarden). In addition they dismissed managing director Ron Ruzewski (he additionally labored because the race strategist for Energy), and basic supervisor Kyle Moyer (he additionally labored because the race strategist for McLaughlin).
Penske apologized for the “organizational failures” that led to the scandal, with IndyCar president Doug Boles holding an emotional press convention, the place he described the scandal as “devastating” to Mr. Penske.
McLaughlin tried to defend his workforce, Energy expressed full shock over the dismissals, and Newgarden was silent.
The long-term impression
IndyCar’s inspection course of was tightened up considerably within the instant aftermath. After the race, the No. 27 of Kyle Kirkwood, the No. 28 of Marcus Ericsson, and the No. 90 of Callum Illott had been all penalized following post-race inspection failures.
As for the Penske automobiles, all of them had an terrible Indy 500, and the races that adopted weren’t a lot better. They did not actually return to type till the very finish of the season, successful two of the final three races with Energy and Newgarden. Nonetheless, none of their drivers positioned greater than ninth within the standings, and whereas everybody has down years, the lack of three key members clearly appeared to impression them.
Together with a bolstered inspection course of that was much more stringent than earlier than, forward of the 2026 season, IndyCar additionally launched a brand new unbiased officiating system — the Impartial Officiating Board (IOB). This was a serious departure from the established order, and a method so as to add extra transparency whereas additionally separating the Penske group from a few of these delicate choices. Nonetheless, race management itself stays unchanged.
However what about Cindric, Ruzewski, and Moyer?
Moyer finally moved to a rival workforce, and was named the director of competitors for Arrow McLaren. Initially, he was paired with Nolan Siegel as his race strategist, however he’s now with Christian Lundgaard, main him to a giant win within the Grand Prix of Indianapolis earlier this month.
Ruzewski additionally joined a rival group, and is now the workforce principal for Andretti World. There, he reunited with Energy, who exited Group Penske on the conclusion of the 2025 season because the workforce promoted David Malukas as the brand new driver of the No. 12.
As for Cindric, he returned dwelling to Group Penske in January of this yr, taking up the position of workforce strategist for McLaughlin.
However even with the return of Cindric as a race strategist for the No. 3 workforce, upper-management seems very completely different for Penske than it did only one yr in the past. For instance, Jonathan Diuguid is now the workforce president, and Travis Regulation is the competitors director.
And now, Penske is again at Indianapolis, the place they’ve loved a lot success over time, and simply wish to put the stain of 2025 far behind them. Penske has 20 victories within the Indianapolis 500 since 1972, and no workforce in historical past is even near that file. And one of the simplest ways for them to maneuver previous final yr’s scandal is to alter Roger’s reserved parking spot signage to ’21’ on Could twenty fifth of the yr.
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