MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden will enter the world’s biggest race this year without one of the best strategists in IndyCar Series as Tim Cindric was among four Team Penske members suspended for May by team owner Roger Penske.
The move was announced via a release at 7:30 a.m. ET in response to the push-to-pass scandal from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg season opener March 10.
Newgarden, the race winner, and teammate Scott McLaughlin, who finished third, were disqualified after IndyCar officials discovered six weeks later that they illegally used their push-to-pass systems on restarts during the race. Will Power, Penske’s third driver, was docked 10 points but not disqualified because he did not use the push-to-pass at the unapproved times.
According to the team release Tuesday, an internal review was held and after a full and comprehensive analysis of information, there were “significant failures in our processes and internal communications.”
Team Penske president Tim Cindric, who also handles Newgarden’s race strategy, and managing director Ron Ruzewski have been suspended for the next two IndyCar races, which includes Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the 108th Indianapolis 500 on May 26.
Luke Mason (the race engineer on Newgarden’s No. 2 Dallara-Chevrolet) and Robbie Atkinson (a senior data engineer) also were suspended by Penske for the next two races.
Statement from Team Penske, Roger Penske on team’s response to recent INDYCAR penalties: pic.twitter.com/KpAfOMLfm3
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) May 7, 2024
“I recognize the magnitude of what occurred and the impact it continues to have on the sport to which I’ve dedicated so many decades,” Roger Penske said in the release.
“Everyone at Team Penske along with our fans and business partners should know that I apologize for the errors that were made and I deeply regret them.”
Penske also owns IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Indianapolis 500.
According to Team Penske, none of the four suspended individuals will be at the track in Indianapolis during the next two race weekends for practice, qualifying or the race. In addition, none of the suspended individuals will be connected to the teams or drivers during any on track competition including practice, qualifying or the race.
During the rest of May, they still will be allowed at the team’s race shop in Mooresville, North Carolina.
The team is finalizing its plans on additional team members and crew personnel and their roles for each team from their “deep bench” and will “finalize those plans in the coming days.”
Asked for clarification by NBC Sports, an IndyCar official said the series played no role in Penske’s self-imposed suspensions and would not be monitoring whether the suspended individuals were in touch with the team while cars were on track at IMS.
Cindric released a statement at 9 a.m. ET.
“For Ron and I as leaders of this team, it’s not about what we did, it’s about what we didn’t do,” Cindric said. “It is our responsibility to provide the Team and all our drivers with the right processes to ensure something like this can’t happen.
“For that, I apologize to Roger, our team and everyone that supports us.
“Our No. 1 job is to protect and enhance the reputation of our brand and that of those that support us. In that regard, as the overall leader, I failed, and I must raise my hand and be accountable with the others.
“This is a team, and in my position, it’s the right thing to do.”
“In that regard, as the overall leader, I failed, and I must raise my hand and be accountable with the others. This is a team, and in my position, it’s the right thing to do.”
About an hour after the announcement, Penske provided additional comments to the Associated Press.
“We’re the same company we have been for 50 years, and I’m going to hold my head high,” Penske told the AP. “This is an unfortunate situation, and when you’re the leader, you have to take action. We’ve done that and we’re going to move on. I am not trying to run a popularity contest.”
Penske told the AP that Cindric and Ruzewski “raised their hands as the team leaders” to accept responsibility for the mess.
The suspensions will include Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Indianapolis 500 practice and qualifying and the 108th running of the Indy 500, which Penske is trying to win for a record-extending 20th time.
“That’s a big deal, a significant impact to the team, to the individuals involved,” Penske told the AP of the Indy 500 being included in the suspensions. “I talked to all of them and the goal was, ‘How can we move forward and be competitive and win? Win the next two races?’ That was the feeling I had when I left the meeting.”
Asked how Newgarden moves forward and regains the respect of his competitors, Penske said: “He’s got to do it on the racetrack. I think he understands the gravity of this thing, and I need to support him.”
Follow Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500
