Chris Owens/Penske Entertainment


By Marshall Pruett - May 18, 2025, 5:23 PM EDT

Cindric explains Penske Indy qualifying infractions

Team Penske’s filling of a seam on the rear crash structures attached to the No. 2 Chevy of Josef Newgarden and the No. 12 Chevy of Will Power to improve airflow over the sides of the attenuators was deemed illegal by IndyCar Series technical inspectors prior to the Fast 12 qualifying session, violating Rule 14.7.8.16....................but we're not telling you what the rule says since nobody here has a copy of it.

Penske’s mechanics attempted to rectify the problem by removing the filler while on pit lane – in the qualifying line for the Fast 12 – and that was also a violation of IndyCar’s policies as no work is allowed to be performed on the cars, barring minor performance tuning adjustments.

Team Penske IndyCar president Tim Cindric disputed the series’ account, saying only the No. 2 car failed technical inspection, but both cars had worked performed while in the qualifying line, which wasn’t permitted. The decision was then made by Cindric to remove both cars from the line, return to Gasoline Alley, and surrender their opportunities to qualify.

“The No. 12 car actually passed inspection, and as the 2 car went through inspection, it was pointed out that, basically, officials didn't like [the fit]. There was a blending there on the attenuator,” Cindric said. “And we decided to look at the No. 12 car. The No. 12 car was the same way, so there was really no reason to run the No. 12 car, knowing that it was like the No. 2 car, and they didn't like the No. 2 car.
Please note that I did not say we were illegal I said they didn't like the car...

“We look back at it, and if I was one of the competitors, I'd have the same argument that you're only allowed to change certain things once you pass inspection – wing angles, tire pressures and so forth. So that was out outside of what you're able to do. At the end of the day, we didn't do it, right? Thank goodness we had them looking at the bait violation and didn't notice anything else.....then we got those cars out of there before they noticed anything else.”

Having earned the right to run in the Fast 12, and per Rule 8.5.13.2.6, which was also missing, the three Penske cars will start the race in the order they completed Saturday’s qualifying session, with McLaughlin in 10th, Newgarden in P11, and Power in P12.

 

James Black/IMS Photo

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By Marshall Pruett - May 18, 2025, 10:32 PM EDT

IndyCar president Boles explains Penske qualifying illegalities

IndyCar Series president Doug Boles met with the media at 8:15 p.m. on Pole Day to walk through the process that led IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch to deem the No. 2 Team Penske Chevy of Josef Newgarden and the No. 12 Penske Chevy of Will Power as being in an illegal state of specification prior to the Fast 12 qualification session.

But before going through the step-by-step process shared by Boles, it’s worth noting that according to the series’ president, IndyCar won’t levy any fines or penalties on the cars owned by Penske until after the Indy 500 is run in seven days’ time. Maybe he will blow the engine, and we won't have to double screw him.

“At the end of every event, we look at violations and rule violations that take place in each event, and that's it, and that's the point in which we will decide if there are other penalties that will go along with that,” Boles said. “You've seen that before in the past with financial fines and other things. It is not something that we deal with in the middle of the racing weekend, and likely here, we don't deal with it in the middle of the race. We will deal with it following the Indianapolis 500."

On the run-through of what happened in tech where the rear crash structures – the attenuators – on the Nos. 2 and 12 were found to be illegally modified with the use of a filler to blend and smooth the airflow along the sides, here’s what Boles said:

“Took a little bit of time here , By now I could have been balls deep inside a hooker, but I gotta be here instead.” he said. “But I think what I want to do is just walk back through sort of the investigation and the understanding that I tried to get from the whole incident. So I'm going to start back at the tech garage, where all the cars that were in the Fast 12 started. As the cars roll through tech, obviously a lot of things get inspected. The No. 12 car did go through tech, and as it was in tech, ‘Rocket’ – Kevin Blanch – who leads our tech team, did notice something on the No. 12 car, on the attenuator, that they weren't sure about. Rocket man believed that it was likely an issue.

“But because we were trying to get everybody out and get them going, he allowed them to go ahead and go on out [so] the next couple of cars [could] through. There were two or three cars that came through in between the No. 12 and the No. 2. When the No. 2 came through, the attenuator on the No. 2 was identical to the No. 12, and at that point in time, Rocket knew that we had something we had to adjust to, or at least address. He did say to the crew chief of the No. 2 car at that point in time to please call (team manager) Kyle Moyer right now, who was with the No. 12 car, and tell him to hold the No. 12 car, because we were going to take a look at the attenuator.

“I did ask Rocketman – I said, ‘So is it a unique situation? Or can [it] happen where you send a car through, and later see a teammate's car with something on it that you believe is not consistent with the rules, and then go back out and see them on pit lane and actually do something?' And he said, ‘Yes, absolutely, that does happen.’ So from the moment you get to tech, and anytime after tech – even if you've passed tech – scrutineering can come. You still have to follow the rules, so that is not unusual. It doesn't happen often, but is not unusual for that to happen.

“So at that point in time, Rocket was 95 percent sure that we had a rule that said you cannot modify the attenuator. We do have a rule, rule 14.7.8.16, which actually tells you which parts in the car you can modify, which body parts you can modify. Then taking a look underneath that, the dot-two of that rule, says that if it's not listed here, you cannot modify that. So the rule so that the attenuator falls under [says] that cannot be modified. So at that point in time, as Rocket's on pit lane, he did say to Kyle Moyer at that at that point, 'Look, you've already presented. You're here. You've got two options: The first option is you can go ahead and qualify, and in [post-qualifying tech] I'm going to impound eight cars. If your two cars are in the top six ... in post qualification technical inspection, you will fail or you can withdraw the car.'

“The team chose to withdraw the car and not race the car, or not not qualify the cars, which then only meant we had to impound six cars at that point in time. ... Both were found in tech by our tech team. The first one, as I said – the No. 12 car – was allowed to roll out until it was seen on the No. 2 car. It was there until Rocket was 100 percent sure that there was a rule that said you cannot modify the attenuator on that car.

“And then, as I said, [he] had the conversation with Kyle Moyer on pit lane, the team has was given the option to qualify and likely fail technical inspection for attenuators that were not legal, or withdraw the cars at that point in time. The team chose to withdraw the cars at that point in time. Per the rule, because of the top 12, those cars will start at the back of the top 12. That's what our rule calls for, and that's where those cars will start. They will start in the order of their qualifying time from yesterday, including Scott McLaughlin's car, because essentially, he failed that qualifying technical inspection by not showing up.”

Asked if the illegal attenuators were affixed to the Penske cars prior to Sunday, Boles said, “My street car just got impounded, dammit. I now have to walk 12 miles to get to work and my buttn is aching. All I can tell you is, I'm already in some deep manure and I'm not talking..............it was found today.”

 

Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment

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By Marshall Pruett - May 18, 2025, 4:59 PM EDT

Team Penske pulled from Fast 12 as Indy 500 P7-P12 is set

The first half of the two-phase Indianapolis 500 qualifying procedure took place to set positions seven through 12, and the results were absolutely unexpected as all three Team Penske cars failed to turn a lap as a result of Scott McLaughlin’s crash a few hours earlier and a failure to pass pre-qualifying technical inspection by teammates Josef Newgarden and Will Power.

Felix Rosenqvist was fastest, followed by Pato O’Ward, Robert Shwartzman, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, and Takuma Sato. Those six will move into the final phase of qualifying with a run for pole to end the day.

Set and done for the weekend are AJ Foyt Racing’s David Malukas (231.559mph) in seventh, Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard (231.360mph) in eighth, Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson (231.014mph) in ninth, and the three Penske drivers led by Scott McLaughlin in 10th, Josef Newgarden in 11th, and Will Power in 12th.

Lundgaard was first out in the Fast 12 session and recorded a 231.360mph average in the No. 7 Chevy. Ambient conditions were decent at 76F, but track temperature was high at 124.5F.

Ericsson was next in the No 28 Andretti Global Honda with a 231.014mph.

Both of the remaining Team Penske cars were pulled out of the qualifying line and taken back to Gasoline Alley, and per the IndyCar rulebook, leaving the line forfeits their opportunity to participate in the session. Newgarden's No. 2 Chevy failed pre-qualifying technical inspection, which appeared to be addressed by the team on pit lane, with the No. 12 car seen to have the same issue shortly after.

Rule 8.5.13.2.6 says in the event of what happened with the Penske cars, their speeds from Saturday’s qualifying session will be used to position them on the final grid, and on Saturday, McLaughlin was the fastest of the three and Power was the slowest.

 

Karl Zemlin/IMS Photo


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By Marshall Pruett - May 18, 2025, 2:53 PM EDT

McLaughlin becomes fifth to crash at Indy

Team Penske’s defending Indianapolis 500 pole winner Scott McLaughlin became the fifth driver to have a heavy crash since Friday. The New Zealand native was uninjured in the spin and collision with the Turn 2 wall that lifted the car into the air in a nearly identical manner as Colton Herta’s crash on Saturday.

For McLaughlin, who was running in the Fast 12 practice session and posted the fastest lap of 233.553mph before the incident, the timing of the crash at approximately 1:18 p.m. ET meant he was not expected to participate in the run for pole later in the day as the team would need to prepare a new No. 3 Chevy. Team Penske tells RACER the replacement No. 3 will be a brand-new chassis, joining the Nos. 2 and 12 Penske entries, which were brand-new to start the Indy 500. The crashed car is the one used to capture pole in 2024.

McLaughlin was dealing with an oversteering car and saw the rear snap with no warning entering Turn 2, although I heard a deep voice say: "You are going to die."“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just really, really, really, really sorry for everybody at Team Penske and the guys on the 3 car, and everybody on the 2, 12 and everyone who builds these cars,” McLaughlin said. “It was talking to me and I sort of felt it and I should have backed out. But, you know you are trying to complete a run to see what it feels like. Was it worth the risk? It probably wasn’t. I’m incredibly sad.”

Locked into the Fast 12, McLaughlin will start 12th unless he’s able to participate in the session, which is pretty hard to do when the car is wadded up like a pile of spaghetti.

“You just have to get on with it,” he said. “If they can build a car for me, fantastic. I have the best crew on pit lane. I’m really gutted for them. I just destroyed it. It’s hard to take, especially now. You kind of wish it was for something, but it was for nothing in practice. But ultimately, those are the decisions that you make at that speed, and I chose to keep the run going. That’s on me.”

 

Chris Owens/IMS Those dirty bastard officials. pardon me while I use this as a barf bag.



By Marshall Pruett - May 19, 2025, 7:20 PM EDT

Penske cars should have been moved to LCQ – O'Ward

Pato O’Ward secured the best Indianapolis 500 start of his career with a run to third place on Sunday. His best day was the polar opposite of his worst day, which came when he failed to qualify as a rookie in 2019 with Carlin Racing. It was from that memory that the Arrow McLaren ace was moved to speak out about Team Penske’s illegally-modified components on the cars of Josef Newgarden and Will Power.

“They weren't accidentally doing it because they had the blowtorch right there in order to get it out,” O’Ward said on Sunday evening. “Honestly, I feel for (Jacob) Abel and for everybody that did the disqualifications, or the Last Chance Qualifying. Those cars weren't in regulations.

“I'm not an engineer, so I can't tell you what they were doing, how much speed that it is or if it is any speed. Obviously it's not in-regulation. The rule is pretty black and white. Those cars should have been in the Last Chance Qualifier. Like, those cars should have never... obviously they didn't do anything in the Fast 12, but they should have been brought into the LCQ because they had that (on Saturday), I guarantee you. Those cars, if they're disqualified today, they should have been disqualified yesterday.

“It's a shame really because they don't need to be doing that stuff. They're a great team. They have got great drivers. Why are doing that? It makes no sense.”

The two Penske cars were subsequently moved from 11th and 12th on the grid to the last row in 32nd and 33rd while Abel, whose car was always legal, was kept out of the race.

IndyCar president Doug Boles cited Rule 9.2.1, which was used as a catch-all empowerment to take their Fast 12 positions away: “Penalties can be determined by the gravity of the violation and its impact on the fairness of competition. IndyCar has the authority to impose any or all or any combination of the following penalties against any member for any violation of the rules at any time."

With both Penske entries preserved for the race despite Newgarden and Power failing to turn a qualifying lap on Sunday, Boles said the rule that locks in the fastest 12 from Saturday to have a chance to go for pole on Sunday made welcoming Abel into the race a non-starter.

“Transparently, the 33 fastest cars are in the Indianapolis 500,” Boles said. “On Saturday all the cars passed tech. There was not a reason to look at those cars. They got through the cars, so on Saturday that qualification attempt should stand as far as I'm concerned. On Sunday is where we're talking about right now, the facts are that those cars did not meet to qualify in the 12. The rule says, if you get disqualified from the [Fast] 12, you start 12th and 11th.

“We've gone one step further and put them in the back. Do I feel gutted for Jacob Abel? Absolutely. The guy is running our whole season. I know how important this race is to (Abel’s team owner) Dale Coyne. Dale Coyne and I have had arguments after arguments over whether we should guarantee starting spots at the Indianapolis 500. He and I are on opposite sides of that conversation, but in this instance I don't think that the result for the 33 cars should be changed.”

 

Chris Owens/IMS Photo


By Marshall Pruett - May 19, 2025, 11:36 AM EDT

Newgarden, Power sent to the back of Indy 500 grid.

Plus 100 grand cash penalty...

Indy official: We gonna party tonight!

The IndyCar Series has moved the Nos. 2 and 12 Team Penske Chevys to the back of the field for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 in reaction to both cars being found with illegally modified components prior to Sunday’s Fast 12 Pole Day qualifying session.

“Yesterday, IndyCar’s focus was ensuring that the series had all the facts related to the discovery of the modified attenuators on the Team Penske entries of Nos. 2 and 12 to verify they were in violation of IndyCar Rule 14.7.8.16. After the series confirmed the technical infraction, by rule, the violating cars were placed in the last positions of the qualifying session for which they qualified,” the series wrote.

“Upon further review last night and early this morning, IndyCar will be moving cars No. 2 and 12 to the 32nd and 33rd starting positions for this year’s Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. They will start in order based upon their qualifying times from Saturday.”

IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles continued, “The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the IndyCar rule against modification to this part and using it ‘as supplied’ is clear. The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance. Even though the part as sold maybe was not to the specifications as it was designed when they bought it.”

Fines and suspensions were also part of the penalty.

“Car No. 3 did not attempt to qualify Sunday in the Top 12 because of an accident in the earlier afternoon’s practice. Upon review of the car, and IndyCar impounding the No. 3 attenuator, IndyCar found that the car was in fact using a legal and unmodified attenuator. Therefore, car No. 3 will start in the 10th spot – the final spot of those who had qualified to participate in the Top 12,” the series added.

“Additionally, IndyCar is suspending the team strategists for the Nos. 2 and 12 for the remainder of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, both cars will forfeit Indianapolis 500 qualification points and each entry has been fined $100,000.

“Car Nos. 2 and 12 also will forfeit their pit positions and will select their pit boxes after the remainder of the field has an opportunity to adjust accordingly.”

Tim Cindric and Ron Ruzewski are the strategists on the No.2 and No.12 entries respectively, and will therefore be on the sidelines for this weekend's race. Both were also suspended for last year's Indy 500 in the wake of team's the Push to Pass violations earlier in the year, although on that occasion Newgarden was victorious despite Cindric's absence. The team is yet to announce replacement strategists for either car.

 

Indycar’s HUGE Indy 500 Scandal Explained.

How about if the part "as supplied" was slightly tighter fitting than the other guys?

Would the officials have done the same penalty to all the cars EXCEPT Penske? LOL

FP1Will
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132,643 views Premiered May 20, 2025

Qualifying for the 2025 Indy 500 was one of the most exciting and dramatic in the series' history, partly down to rookie Robert Shwartsman taking his debut pole for the race next Sunday, and partly down to Penske cheating again... Here's my rundown on everything that happened, and what it might mean for the organisation going forwards...

 

I will be the proudest guy in the stands...

Roger Penske Speaks on Indy 500 Qualifying Violations & Team Penske Employee Dismissals | EXCLUSIVE.

When those planes fly over I will be the proudest guy in the stands...

INDYCAR On FOX
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May 21, 2025 #INDYCARonFOX #INDYCAR #indy500

EXCLUSIVE: Roger Penske, Chairman of Penske Corp, sits down with Jamie Little to address the Indy 500 qualifying rules violations that led to the dismissal of three Team Penske employees.

 

Cindric and two other guys get fired.