Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power will start Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 at the back of the grid following technical violations.
IndyCar announced Monday that Newgarden’s No. 2 and Power’s No. 15 will start 32nd and 33rd, respectively, after the discovery of modified attenuators.
“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.”
The team strategists were also suspended for the race for both cars, which will also forfeit Indy 500 qualification points and each pay a $100,000 fine.
In addition, the Team Penske teammates will forfeit their pit positions and will select their pit boxes after the rest 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.”
Team Penske’s No. 3 car, driven by Scott McLaughlin, will start in the 10th spot after inspectors determined it had a legal and unmodified attenuator.
The Nos. 2 and 15 cars violated IndyCar Rule 14.7.8.16. Attenuators are part of the vehicle’s crash structure that helps it absorb the impact from a collision.
Rookie driver Robert Schwartzman earned the pole position for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
–Field Level Media
