News has broken on Monday morning local Indianapolis time that Team Penske IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power will start P32 and P33 on the grid for the Indy 500, joining Rinus VeeKay on the last row.
The American and Australian drivers had been due to take part in Fast 12 qualifying after showing plenty of speed on Friday. The two-time defending Indy 500 winner Newgarden and fellow previous winner Power placed P3 and P10 respectively.
However, Newgarden and Power were barred from competing in the Fast 12 for the Indy 500 on Sunday afternoon after tech inspections revealed modified attenuators. Scott McLaughlin crashed heavily in Sunday practice and could not take part. However, his Team Penske car was checked and no modified attenuator was found.
It’s the second time in just over a year that a scandal involving Team Penske has rocked the IndyCar paddock following the events of St. Pete last year.
IndyCar statement
Yesterday, INDYCAR’s focus was ensuring that the series had all the facts related to the discovery of the modified attenuators on the Team Penske entries of Nos. 2 and 12 to verify they were in violation of INDYCAR Rule 14.7.8.16.
After the series confirmed the technical infraction, by rule, the violating cars were placed in the last positions of the qualifying session for which they qualified.
Upon further review last night and early this morning, INDYCAR will be moving cars No. 2 and 12 to the 32nd and 33rd starting positions for this year’s Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. They will start in order based upon their qualifying times from Saturday.
“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 J. 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.”
Car No. 3 did not attempt to qualify Sunday in the Top 12 because of an accident in the earlier afternoon’s practice. Upon review of the car, and INDYCAR impounding the No. 3 attenuator, INDYCAR found that the car was in fact using a legal and unmodified attenuator. Therefore, car No. 3 will start in the 10th spot – the final spot of those who had qualified to participate in the Top 12.
Additionally, INDYCAR is suspending the team strategists for the Nos. 2 and 12 for the remainder of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, both cars will forfeit Indianapolis 500 qualification points and each entry has been fined $100,000.
Car Nos. 2 and 12 also will forfeit their pit positions and will select their pit boxes after the remainder of the field has an opportunity to adjust accordingly.
“The positive momentum around the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 has been on a steep crescendo over the last several months, and we want it to be clear that our intent is to maintain that momentum and discourage teams from putting INDYCAR in positions where it calls into the integrity of our officiating and the levelness of the playing field,” Boles said. “As we look to the remainder of the week and the race this weekend, we will do everything we can to make it clear that this is not only the best racing on the planet but racing where the best win under completely fair conditions.”
