Roger Penske in Deep Trouble on His Own Turf as Both Star Drivers Come Under Inspector’s Fire

Roger Penske’s got a mess on his hands, and it’s happening right in his own backyard. The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, a race Penske has dominated like no other, turned into a disaster when his star drivers, Josef Newgarden and Will Power, failed technical inspection during Sunday’s Top 12 qualifying. It’s not just a bad day; it’s a body blow to a team that’s used to calling the shots, and now they’re left scrambling to salvage what they can from this mess.

Josef Newgarden, the guy who’s won the Indy 500 back-to-back, didn’t even get to drive his car during qualifying. Instead, he was out there running around the infield, looking like he was about to burst a blood vessel while everyone else was tearing up the track. Will Power and Scott McLaughlin didn’t fare any better. McLaughlin, who was last year’s pole-sitter, had a nasty crash during morning practice, and Team Penske just threw in the towel, deciding it wasn’t worth putting him out there for the Fast 12.

Now, we all know Team Penske has a history of trying to bend the rules. Last year, Josef Newgarden was found guilty of using an illegal push-to-pass feature during the season-opening race at St. Petersburg. He was stripped of his win, and his teammates were also docked 10 points each, along with $25,000 fines. This scandal rocked the IndyCar Series, but it looks like the Penske camp hasn’t learned its lesson.

Why were the Penske cars disqualified?

The reason behind the disqualifications is a technical violation that’s as simple as it is damning. IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch revealed that Newgarden’s and Power’s cars had “a body-fit violation on the rear attenuator.” “As quick as this process happens, we ran it through tech and got everybody in line, and then right near the end, or prior to qualifying, they decided to pull out of line,” Blanch told FOX Sports.

The rear attenuator is a spec part that cannot be modified; it is a safety device designed to absorb and reduce the force of impacts. But Team Penske had filled a seam on it, an attempt to close off airflow and reduce drag, which could potentially improve straight-line speed. It was assumed that the modification was an attempt to gain an aerodynamic advantage. This modification, however, crossed the line, and IndyCar wasn’t having it.

Team Penske IndyCar president Tim Cindric tried to explain the situation, his frustration clear. “Essentially, the 12 car had actually passed inspection, and as the 2 went through inspection, it was pointed out that basically the officials didn’t like what you saw on television there,” Cindric told FOX Sports.

“There was a blending on the attenuator, and we decided, let’s look at that. The 12 car was the same way. There was no reason to run the 12 car, knowing it was like the 2 car. They didn’t like the 2 car. I went back and looked at the 3 car this morning, and it didn’t have that. There’s a bit of a randomness internally we need to sort out. It’s a shame we didn’t give our guys a chance to go for it.”

Power and Newgarden have failed prequalifying tech.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 18, 2025

This is a huge setback for Roger Penske and his team, as with this disqualification in place, all three Penske cars will share Row 4 to start the Indy 500. McLaughlin will start 10th, Newgarden 11th, and Power 12th, and it is going to be a tough task for them to complete the three-peat this year. But this in turn led to a new story that might be remembered for a long time, and who knows, we might have a dark horse win the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Rookie Robert Shwartzman wins the pole position for the Indy 500

For the first time since 1983, a rookie driver has won the pole for the Indy 500. Robert Shwartzman has never raced on ovals in his life, but thanks to the major blunder on Team Penske’s part, he was able to capitalize. Ranked third in the opening round of the top 12 on Sunday, he took the pole with an average speed of 232.790 mph.

“I still can’t believe it. It’s just a dream. I was just thinking in my dreams, fantasizing, how will it feel to take the pole position in Indy 500? How is the vibe? Then I was like, ‘Yeah, Robert, get back to reality. You have a new car, new team, you are a rookie. How can you expect to be in this position? It’s just in your dream.’” He said after the pole win.

Shwartzman will start in the front row alongside veteran drivers—two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato and Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward. It certainly will be a thrilling blockbuster, given that Team Penske drivers will look to stage a redemption run, while there’s also a possibility of a big upset.

The post Roger Penske in Deep Trouble on His Own Turf as Both Star Drivers Come Under Inspector’s Fire appeared first on EssentiallySports.