Illegal modifications on Josef Newgarden and Will Power cars got Team Penske penalized after Sunday’s Indy 500 qualifying, with series officials handing the harshest ever sanctions in IndyCar history.
What began as a routine qualifying session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway quickly escalated into a headline-grabbing scandal, resulting in severe penalties for the team and a dramatic shake-up of the starting grid for the 109th running of the iconic race.
The incident unfolded on Sunday during the final rounds of qualifying. All three Team Penske drivers-Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Scott McLaughlin-had performed admirably in Saturday’s session, each securing a spot in the coveted Top 12.
This achievement positioned them for a shot at pole position during the Fast 12 session, a testament to the team’s engineering prowess and the drivers’ skill. However, the optimism surrounding Team Penske’s prospects was short-lived.
On Sunday morning, Scott McLaughlin suffered a huge crash during practice which prevented him from participating in the Fast 12 session. While his car was later found to be compliant with all technical regulations, the same could not be said for his teammates’ entries.
As officials prepared for the Fast 12, IndyCar’s technical inspectors discovered unauthorized modifications on the cars of Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Specifically, the issue centered around the attenuator, a critical safety component located at the rear of the car designed to absorb energy during a crash.
According to IndyCar regulations, the attenuator is a spec part and must not be altered in any way. Inspectors found that Team Penske had filled the seams of the attenuator, a modification intended to make the cars more aerodynamic by reducing drag and potentially increasing straight-line speed.
While Team Penske INDYCAR President Tim Cindric argued that the change did not provide a significant performance advantage, the rules are explicit: any modification to spec parts is strictly prohibited.
The discovery led to immediate action from IndyCar officials. Both Newgarden and Power were barred from participating in the Fast 12 session, effectively ending their hopes of challenging for pole position.
However, after further deliberation and a thorough review of the infraction IndyCar decided to have Team Penske penalized more severely so as to uphold the integrity of the competition and send a clear message to the paddock.
On Monday, IndyCar released an official statement confirming the full extent of the penalties. Josef Newgarden and Will Power were each relegated to the last row of the grid for the Indy 500, starting 32nd and 33rd, respectively.
This dramatic demotion was accompanied by additional sanctions: both teams were fined $100,000 each, their race strategists-Tim Cindric for Newgarden and Ron Ruzewski for Power-were suspended for the race, and both cars forfeited their qualifying points and pit selection privileges.
These penalties were among the harshest ever handed down in Indy 500 qualifying history and underscored IndyCar’s commitment to enforcing its technical regulations without exception.
“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,” INDYCAR President Douglas Boles said.
“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.”
MORE INDYCAR:
2025 Indy 500 Qualifying Results and starting grid
Robert Shwartzman claims shock 2025 Indy 500 pole for Prema Racing
The impact of these penalties on Team Penske’s Indy 500 campaign cannot be overstated. Newgarden – the two-time defending Indianapolis 500 champion and Power – the 2018 winner, were both considered strong contenders for victory.
Starting from the back row without their trusted strategists and with the cloud of controversy hanging over the team, their path to success now becomes exponentially more challenging.
Scott McLaughlin whose car passed technical inspection was allowed to retain his 10th-place starting position but his momentum was already hampered by his earlier crash.
