Following a cheating scandal related to the Indianapolis 500, Roger Penske has dismissed three key members of Team Penske: team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski, and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer.
In a statement, Penske emphasized the importance of integrity, saying, “Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams.” He admitted to organizational failures over the past two years, stating that necessary changes were required, and offered an apology to fans, partners, and the organization.
Roger Penske is the owner not only of the three-car Team Penske but also of the IndyCar series, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Indy 500 race itself.
The scandal involved the cars of two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and his teammate Will Power. Illegal modifications were discovered on their vehicles just before the final qualifying session for the Indy 500. As a result, neither driver was permitted to qualify, and they were subsequently moved to the back of the starting grid, positions 32 and 33.
Competitors criticized the initial penalties, arguing they were insufficient, especially since this is the second cheating incident in two seasons and potentially prevented driver Jacob Abel from qualifying. IndyCar had already issued suspensions for Cindric and Ruzewski for the upcoming race and fined the team $100,000. Notably, this marks the second year in a row they have been suspended from the prestigious Indy 500 event.
Team Penske`s issues came to light before a key qualifying session when rival teams, including Chip Ganassi`s operation, raised concerns about cheating. They identified unauthorized alterations to the rear attenuator, a safety component, suggesting these modifications were intended to provide an aerodynamic edge during qualifying laps.
This incident follows a previous scandal just one year prior, involving a “push-to-pass” system issue at the season opener. Josef Newgarden was found to have illegal access to a horsepower boost, resulting in his win being rescinded. Following that, Roger Penske, in his capacity as owner of IndyCar, suspended Cindric for two races, including the Indy 500.
Tim Cindric`s dismissal is the most significant personnel change. A member of the Team Penske Hall of Fame, he has been with the organization since 2000, initially as President of Penske Racing Inc. He became President of Penske Performance in 2005 and, until February of this year, largely oversaw the daily operations across all of Penske`s racing endeavors. Although Cindric stated he chose to step back from the overall leadership role in February, his responsibilities were significantly reduced at that time, though he remained president of the IndyCar program.
