The president of Indycar says that the qualification scandal is “devastating” for Roger Penske

On Monday morning, the news shaken the Indycar paddock as team n ° 2 Penske Chevrolet from Josef Newgarden and the Chevrolet de Will N ° 12 were sent to the back of the field for the 109th race of the Indy 500. The two teams were sentenced to a fine of $ 100,000 each and their racing stratèges (Tim Cindric and Ron Ruzewski) were suspended.

The reason? An illegal modification of the rear attenuator where a part was filled and smoothed in an apparent violation of the rules. Originally, cars were removed from the line for rapid qualifications of 12 and had to start line 4, but that has since changed spectacularly.

And before entering the press conference, if you are looking for more details on the changes and how they went unnoticed for so long, read this explanator of the contributor of Motorsport.com Bozi Tatarevic:

Why McLaughlin was not penalized

Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske

Photo of: Penske Entertainment

As for Scott McLaughlin’s third Penske car, which was strongly damaged in an air training accident, the series officials also examined the rear attenuator of n ° 3. Speaking to the media assembled on the track, President Indycar and IMS Track Doug Boles explained why he was not penalized at the end.

“We have the attenuators of these three cars,” said Boles. “The attenuator of cars n ° 3 of the accident with the crushed wing always attached to us, and we still have it. This attenuator was not changed at all. So, on Sunday, we can tell you by facts – again, the car in me – this car was presented at least with the car of the car. Be the last car of Fast 12 which was not removed in the back of the field.

Why does Abel have no way to the Indy 500 field

Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing

Photo of: Penske Entertainment

The other burning question surrounds Jacob Abel, the only driver who failed to qualify for Indianapolis 500. Some have argued that he should now have a place in the field of 33 cars and one of the Penske cars should be expelled instead of the event. Boles does not agree.

“Transparently, the 33 fastest cars are in Indianapolis 500,” said Boles. “On Saturday, all the cars passed the technology. There was no reason to look at these cars. They crossed the cars, so on Saturday, this qualification attempt should be held as far as I am concerned.

“On Sunday, this is where we are talking about right now, the facts are that these cars have not gathered to qualify in the 12. The rule says that if you are disqualified from the 12th, you start the 12th and 11th. We have gone a little further and that you put them in the season. Should guarantee departure places at Indianapolis 500. Do not think that the result of the 33 cars is changed.

Roger Penske’s position and participation

Roger Penske, President of Penske Motorsport

Photo by: Fiawec – DPPI

It is also a clumsy position for Roger Penske, which of course has the cars conducted by Newgarden and Power, but also manages Indycar in its entirety. It is not the first a scandal involving Penske cars appeared since Roger took control of the series with the Push-to-Pass (P2P) controversy in 2024 being another unhappy highest point. So where is Roger on all this?

“I have known Roger thought for a long time, and I have known him very well since November 2019,” said Boles. “I don’t think Roger Penske understands some of the things that could happen.

“I receive the Optics challenge, and this is certainly something that we should think. I mean, how do you manage the optical challenge? Many of these challenges that I think – while they are driving at Roger at the end of the day, I think they are certainly below him. There are things that do not happen in Roger.

“I can tell you that Roger Penske would not tolerate this. In fact, I had the chance to speak to Roger, and I can say that it is devastating for him. Nothing means for Roger thinks that the Speedway of Indianapolis Motor and Indianapolis 500. He certainly likes races through time.” This is something I think he’s going to have for a while.

As for who made the final call to penalize the Penske team, Boles explained that it was a group of civil servants, including himself and the CEO of Indycar, Mark Miles. However, he stressed that Roger Penske “was not involved” in the decision in any way.

“I didn’t sleep at all last night,” said Boles. “You probably can’t say it, but frankly, I didn’t take a shower this morning. My hair is in disorder. The first thing I did this morning was the Mark (Miles) call. Mark essentially said the same thing. We sat down and started to think about what thing is appropriate to ensure that we manage the integrity of Indianapolis 500?”

Clean the confusing chronology of events

Josef Newgarden, Team Penske

Photo of: Penske Entertainment

Boles also clarified the calendar of events, because there were differences on the way it all happened. Boles confirmed that officials noticed that the attenuator of Power’s car may have been changed as it went through technology, but they were not completely safe. Power’s car came out on the lane of the stands, but as more and more cars were going, they noticed that the Newgarden attenuator was the only modified like that of Power. It was at this point that the alarm ringtones began to ring.

“At that time, Kevin (Blanch, technical director of Indycar) said to the car chief of n ° 2 (Newgarden), who was standing with him, will call the car chief of car n ° 12 (power) and tell him to move the car aside because this attenuator is also illegal,” said Boles.

Boles also explained the events that followed while Penske suddenly started working on their cars in the lanes of the stands, the objection of the rival teams. “It is not unusual for – it is not common, but it is not uncommon for our technical team to find something on a team of teammate and to go out on the track of the stands and to inspect a car, the car of a teammate, just to make sure that if they found something on a car, it is not on the other,” said Bols.

“The technological team therefore did the job as it was supposed to do so. A certain confusion occurred on the path of the stands, I think that when members of the car of 12 cars, I believe, began to grind in the back of the attenuator where it had been modified, which then created – I think that certain rumors came out of this, but that was the reason for which we were trying to think about this position.”

The Penske team was informed that she could still qualify, but they would probably be disqualified in the inspection after the qualification. “The team has chosen to withdraw from the line and take this option in relation to the qualifications and to be disqualified for sure when it went through the technological line.”

Photos of Indianapolis 500 – Practice 8