The year 2024 was one Roger Penske would rather forget. In March, the motorsports titan stood red-faced as Team Penske was engulfed in a cheating scandal at St. Petersburg. Josef Newgarden had crossed the line first, celebrating what seemed to be a solid victory to open the IndyCar season. But just weeks later, the story unraveled. Officials discovered Penske’s team had run illegal push-to-pass software that gave drivers an unfair horsepower boost.

The software was meant for hybrid testing, but it was never removed. Penske didn’t deny the mistake. “There was no malicious intent,” he said, but critics weren’t buying it. That scandal was a seismic shock, not just because of the cheating itself, but because Penske owns not just the team, but the entire IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a historic moment: the first disqualification in nearly 30 years and a direct hit to the integrity of the series. Penske took swift action. He suspended team president Tim Cindric and three engineers.

But the damage had already shaken the sport. Rivals fumed. Questions spread like wildfire: How did this happen under the watch of the man who owns it all? Now, barely a year later, a fresh controversy explodes—again, right on Roger Penske’s turf. Just days before the 109th Indianapolis 500, officials busted Team Penske for another major infraction. This time, the setting magnifies the embarrassment. And yet again, Josef Newgarden was in the middle of the controversy.

Another scandal rocks Roger Penske’s integrity!

During qualifying for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, two of Penske’s top cars, Josef Newgarden and Will Power, were flagged for illegal modifications. Both had unauthorized changes made to their rear attenuators. This is a critical safety part, not a place to seek an edge. But the assumption is clear: the tweaks gave them a small aerodynamic advantage. IndyCar officials acted fast. Both entries were fined $100,000. Their strategists were suspended. The drivers were pushed to the back of the grid.

Newgarden, a two-time defending Indy 500 winner, now starts 32nd. Power, the 2018 champion and a pending free agent, starts dead last at 33rd. On top of that, they lost qualifying points and their original pit box selections. It’s not just a penalty, it’s public humiliation. And for Penske, it’s personal. This is his home, his track, his race. And his team just got caught cheating again. Team Penske didn’t push back.

“We accept the penalties issued today by the IndyCar Series. We are disappointed by the results and the impact it has on our organization, and we will make further announcements later this week related to personnel for the upcoming Indianapolis 500,” they said in a statement. The tone was one of defeat. Roger Penske and co. knew this was a black eye that couldn’t be hidden. What complicates the matter is timing. The illegal parts were not flagged until just before the Fast 12. IndyCar President Doug Boles said that Will Power’s car initially passed inspection.

Officials reevaluated the situation after spotting the same parts on Newgarden’s car and deemed them illegal. At that point, Power and Newgarden had yet to participate in the Fast 12, but officials had already sealed their fate. IndyCar made a judgment call and, rather than ejecting them from the race, placed them at the rear of the field. “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,” said Boles.

Still, questions loom about whether the cars ran with the illegal parts during earlier qualifying rounds. Boles claimed the rules lock in the top 30 spots, and by then, both cars had passed inspection. Critics, like Chip Ganassi and Mike Hull, aren’t satisfied. Ganassi’s camp led the early protest. Mike Hull, speaking to IndyCar Radio, said, “I’m disappointed in what I’ve seen. This should send a strong statement.” Meanwhile, an insider confirmed that team owners were furious in a closed-door meeting and rejected an IndyCar plea to move on from the issue.

For Penske, the timing couldn’t be worse. Newgarden is chasing a historic third straight Indy 500 win. That dream now looks far less likely from 32nd on the grid. Will Power, in the final year of his contract, needed a strong Indy 500 to silence doubts about his future. Instead, he starts dead last. And with both strategists suspended, including Tim Cindric, Team Penske’s chances just took a massive hit. Notably, Roger Penske has built an empire defined by discipline and dominance. But now, with two scandals in two years, his team’s reputation is on the ropes.

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Rookie shocks Indy 500 teams!

Robert Shwartzman wasn’t supposed to do this. PREMA Racing wasn’t supposed to do this. But somehow, they did. In their first season in IndyCar. In their first Indianapolis 500. With a rookie behind the wheel and almost no oval experience, they pulled off a miracle. Shwartzman laid down a four-lap average of 232.790 mph to win the pole for the 109th Indianapolis 500. It wasn’t just fast, it was flawless.

“I was like, ‘This is a dream; it can’t be true.’ The car felt amazing. I can’t thank PREMA and Chevy enough. Coming here for my first oval race, I would never expect to be in this position. It’s unbelievable,” Shwartzman said afterward, nearly breathless. The 24-year-old from Tel Aviv became the first rookie to win the Indy 500 pole since Teo Fabi in 1983. He’ll lead the field to green on Sunday. This wasn’t a fluke. PREMA had to claw its way up. On practice day one, they were near the bottom. By Thursday, Shwartzman sat 32nd.

But on Fast Friday, everything changed. Boost levels were up. The car responded. They kept improving. They made the Top 12. Then the Fast Six. And then? The impossible. PREMA became the first first-time team to take the Indy pole since 1984. Joining Shwartzman on the front row are two titans—Takuma Sato and Pato O’Ward. Behind them sit Dixon, Rosenqvist, and Palou. But all eyes are on the rookie. PREMA’s engineers tuned a perfect balance. “All of these steps we did were just better, better, better. And then got to a point where the car was good,” Shwartzman said. The team barely completed 22 laps on the first day of practice. Now they’ve made history.