Tim Cindric Among Three Ousted by Penske Amid Cheating Scandal
Tim Cindric Among Three Ousted by Penske Amid Cheating Scandal
Team Penske, one of motorsport’s most iconic names, has been rocked by a major shake-up following a cheating scandal during the 2025 Indianapolis 500 qualifications.
Team President Tim Cindric, IndyCar Managing Director Ron Ruzewski, and General Manager Kyle Moyer were all dismissed in the wake of the controversy, which involved illegal modifications to the cars of Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power.
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The controversy unfolded during the Fast 12 round of qualifying, with Team Penske engineers found to have made unauthorized modifications to the attenuators on the Nos. 2 and 12 cars.
These changes, while intended to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, violated IndyCar’s strict safety regulations.
The penalties were swift; both cars were fined $100,000, their strategists suspended, and the drivers moved to the back of the starting grid.
RELATED | 2025 Indy 500 Starting Grid
The issue became more contentious as rival teams questioned the fairness of allowing the penalized cars to remain in the field, particularly as rookie Jacob Abel was bumped and missed his chance to qualify despite driving a legal car.
Team owner Roger Penske took decisive action, emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of the sport. “Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,” Penske stated. “We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners, and our team for letting them down.”
The fallout marked the end of Cindric’s long association with Penske, spanning over two decades.
Once hailed as one of the organization’s key figures, Cindric had already been suspended during a separate cheating scandal in 2024 involving push-to-pass system violations.
The recent attenuator scandal, deemed by Penske as the last straw, led to his dismissal alongside Ruzewski and Moyer.
The firings signify a watershed moment for Team Penske, highlighting the growing frustration in the paddock over perceived advantages held by a team that also owns the IndyCar series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The controversy has thrust Penske’s governance into the spotlight, with calls for greater transparency and stricter enforcement of rules.
With the Indianapolis 500 just days away, all eyes remain on Team Penske as they attempt damage control both on and off the track.
The scandal, though costly, serves as a stark reminder of the stakes at play in one of motorsport’s most prestigious events.
Whether these changes will lead to genuine reform or further controversy remains to be seen, but for now, Penske’s house-cleaning sends a clear message that even legends are not immune to accountability.
