IndyCar fans are in for a drama-filled Indy 500, and the weekend isn’t even here yet. Last weekend, Scott McLaughlin, the 2024 Indy 500 pole-sitter, had a morning practice session go sideways—literally. His No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet spun out, slamming into the SAFER Barrier between Turns 3 and 4, and the damage was so bad that Team Penske waved the white flag on the Fast 12 qualifying. “McLaughlin will not participate in Fast 12 Qualifying today,” former Team Penske General Manager Kyle Moyer confirmed, opting to focus on getting the car ready for the next practice instead. It was a gut punch for McLaughlin, but little did he know the real storm was just brewing for Roger Penske and co.
The chaos hit full throttle when Josef Newgarden and Will Power, McLaughlin’s teammates, failed technical inspection during Sunday’s Top 12 qualifying. It wasn’t just a bad day—it was a body blow to a team that’s used to running the show, and now they’re left picking up the pieces. IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch dropped the bombshell: Newgarden’s and Power’s cars had “a body-fit violation on the rear attenuator.”
That’s a spec part, a safety device meant to absorb impact, and it’s not supposed to be touched. But Team Penske had filled a seam on it, likely trying to close off airflow and cut drag for a straight-line speed boost. Everyone assumed it was a slick move for an aerodynamic edge, but IndyCar wasn’t playing around—they penalized both cars, dropping them to 32nd and 33rd on the grid for the 2025 Indy 500, a slap on the face to Roger Penkse’s team, who are in the middle of their second IndyCar scandal in consecutive years.
The fallout was brutal, and now McLaughlin’s stepping into the ring, swinging hard for his boss, Roger Penske, and calling out his “peers” for blowing the whole thing out of proportion. With Team Penske’s reputation on the line and three key team members out the door, McLaughlin’s not here for the drama—he’s here to defend the honor of a man who’s given him everything.
McLaughlin fires back in support of Roger Penske
This infraction from Team Penske comes a year after their infamous ‘push to pass’ scandal at the IndyCar race at St Petersburg last season. Penske drivers were found to be using extra horsepower during restarts, which is a clear violation of rules, and it landed them a hefty penalty. Now, with this scandal coming to light in quick succession, Roger Penske had to make some bold firings, and Scott McLaughlin accepted Penske’s decision but blamed the people around the sport for forcing Penske’s hand.
Scott McLaughlin didn’t mince words when Jenna Fryer asked him about the Penske firings during the Indy 500 media day on May 22, 2025, and you could feel the heat in his voice. “Ultimately, those three guys are friends of mine and have done a tremendous amount in my career to get me to this point. So there’s a sadness from my perspective,” McLaughlin said, as reported by Jeff Gluck on X.
The “three guys” he’s talking about are Team Penske president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and general manager Kyle Moyer, all fired by Roger Penske after the rear attenuator scandal. “At the end of the day, I drive for Roger Penske and I respect the decision and I understand the decision and we’ve moved forward,” he added, showing loyalty to the boss who’s led him to three IndyCar wins and the 2021 Rookie of the Year title.
McLaughlin’s real frustration came when he turned his sights on the paddock. “I’m disappointed by some of my peers and people in this room, just how it was taken out of proportion in some ways. … Smart people in this paddock know there was no gain with that. It’s frustrating this has blown up like it has and cost three people I’m very close with their jobs,” he fired off, clearly fed up with the narrative. Rivals like Chip Ganassi had called out Team Penske before the Fast 12, accusing them of cheating, and the assumption that the modified attenuator gave an aerodynamic edge fueled the fire.
Responding to a question from @JennaFryer about the Penske firings, @smclaughlin93 says: “Ultimately, those three guys are friends of mine and have done a tremendous amount in my career to get me to this point. So there’s a sadness from my perspective. At the end of the day, I…
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 22, 2025
McLaren Racing Chief Zak Brown launched critical comments toward the Penske organization, too, saying, “In racing, you can sometimes have mechanics who make miscalculations and you can sometimes have manufacturing issues that can all lead to honest mistakes. I don’t believe that’s what happened here or last year, which raises questions over the integrity of the decision-making within that team.” Despite Zak Brown’s comments, Penske also received support from the paddock, as it was not only McLaughlin who believed there was no competitive advantage to be gained from their infractions.
Helio Castroneves won 3 Indy 500s and drove for Team Penske as well, so he knows how Roger Penske runs his organization. Castroneves said, “I believe they did something to look good. I don’t think that little (adjusted) lip is going to make them three miles an hour faster. I know how Roger [Penske] operates. He wants to make everything beautiful, perfect, shiny. I believe it was, again, a mistake, touching an area they’re not supposed to.” The modification, while providing aerodynamic assistance, was a far cry from a grave misstep. However, when paired with Penske’s transgression from 2024 and the fact that this part has been rumored to be in the car for a long time now, it blew the situation out of proportion.
Experts also later confirmed the modification likely offered no real performance gain, yet the damage was done. Penske himself held a 20-minute team owner’s meeting, taking full responsibility, and while no owners demanded the Penske cars be kicked out, the paddock’s reaction left McLaughlin feeling betrayed by his fellow drivers. With his own car cleared of any violations after the crash, McLaughlin’s now laser-focused on winning Penske his 21st Indy 500, but this controversy’s left a bitter taste—and he’s not afraid to let everyone know it.
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