Penske Reshuffles Leadership: Tim Cindric Among Top 3 Fired Amid IndyCar Cheating Scandal

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roger Penske has taken decisive action in response to a cheating scandal involving his race team at the Indianapolis 500. He fired three top executives after two of his cars were found to have illegal modifications.

Penske dismissed team president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and general manager Kyle Moyer. In his statement, he emphasized the importance of integrity in racing and acknowledged the organizational failures over the past two years. “I apologize to our fans, our partners, and our organization for letting them down,” he said.

This incident comes right before the final qualifications for the 109th running of the Indy 500, where defending champion Josef Newgarden and teammate Will Power discovered they had an illegally modified part. As a result, they were pushed to the back of the field for the race.

The situation has raised concerns among rival teams, particularly since this is the second cheating scandal for Penske in two years. Rival team owners have called for stricter oversight and an independent governing body to ensure fair competition.

Before the qualifications, Chip Ganassi, another team owner, publicly accused Penske of cheating. Teams noticed that modifications were made to a rear safety device, which could give an aerodynamic edge. Evidence showed that Newgarden’s car, now displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum, also had similar modifications.

Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indy 500 champion, defended Penske, suggesting the change was purely for aesthetics and not for performance enhancement. He mentioned that Penske values appearance and precision in every aspect of his organization. “I don’t think it would have made them significantly faster,” he said.

Colton Herta of Andretti Global also weighed in, clarifying that while he believed the illegal adjustments were made, they likely did not provide a competitive advantage. He compared this situation to last year’s serious scandal involving team manipulation of horsepower, which led to penalties for Newgarden and Cindric.

Cindric, who has been with Penske since 2000 and is seen as a key figure in the organization, was notably affected by this scandal. His removal signals a significant shift for the team, given his long-standing influence and aspirations within Penske’s racing empire.

The repeated scandals have sparked a broader conversation about integrity in motorsports. According to a recent survey from the American Automobile Racing Association, 73% of racing fans believe that stricter regulations are needed to ensure fairness in the industry.

Penske’s legacy in racing is considerable, with a record 20 Indy 500 wins. As the team navigates these turbulent waters, the focus remains on restoring trust and upholding the spirit of competition.

For more on auto racing, check out AP Auto Racing.

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