Team Penske, the powerhouse organization, which is often known for its clinical precision, now finds itself navigating a season filled with confusion, whispers, and an unusually loud silence in the garage. From Ryan Blaney’s sputtering engines to sudden leadership exits, the usually tight Penske machine seems to be coughing out more questions than answers, and it all started with their IndyCar scandal.

The Indy 500 is motorsports heritage and a race that Team Penske has dominated for decades. Roger Penske owns the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and his team has amassed 20 Indy 500 triumphs. However, the 109th running of the race has brought a grim outlook to everything surrounding the team. After Team Penske IndyCar stars Josef Newgarden and Will Power were sent to the back of the grid for modified rear attenuators, Roger Penske decided enough was enough.

The captain fired IndyCar team president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and general manager Kyle Moyer in the wake of the Indianapolis 500 cheating scandal. This sent shockwaves throughout the motorsports world. Ahead of Team Penske’s Cup Series run at Charlotte Motor Speedway, 2023 Cup Series Champion Ryan Blaney opened up on the NASCAR implications of Penske’s IndyCar woes.

Ryan Blaney’s steady voice amidst Penske chaos

While many expected a tight-lipped response, this driver opted for a tone that was respectful and cautious, offering insight without fanning any flames. His words were not defiant, but they carried the weight of a driver’s code between loyalty to a team and respect for the people who built it.

In an interview with Frontstretch, Ryan Blaney, when asked about the side effects of the exit of Tim Cindric, provided a very safe answer. Blaney said, “I’m not concerned that there could be any side effects of it as far as our team goes. We’re one team. Team Penske for sure. And under Rogers’ leadership, we follow him all the way. And I thought Roger said a lot in his interview he did with Jamie Little. I thought it was great. It just shows you, you know, how open Roger is.”

Penske’s interview with Jamie Little was certainly a moment of brutal honesty from the team owner. Roger Penske reflected on the decisions he made and why they needed to happen, saying, “Believe me, it hurts me in my gut when you think about it. People have come to me and said, ‘You’re supposed to be a leader of this sport, and here you have these two situations.’ I think the integrity of this sport, I didn’t help it any. From my perspective, what I’ve got to do, and I told this to the team owners.”

Blaney’s response to this read like a vote of confidence in Roger Penske’s leadership at a time when the entire structure of the organization feels in flux. However, Blaney did not shy away from admitting the impact former IndyCar and Team Penske president Tim Cindric had on him as a young kid joining from Wood Brothers Racing in 2018. Blaney added, “Tim [Cindric] meant a lot to me in my early parts of the career… Tim was one of the first guys I met over at Team Penske; he was in the very first meetings with me and my dad. So he had a huge impact on my career and my life, and he’s been a friend of mine, you know, ever since I walked in the door that day.”

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Ryan Blaney also commends the way Roger Penske has dealt with the situation. He went on to explain how he doesn’t feel the effect of it on his NASCAR team, saying, “I mean, Roger said it very well. I’m not really concerned that it’s going to bleed over into our deal. We just got to just got to move forward for it. It’s definitely unfortunate for them. I feel for those guys in that group. But yeah, it’s just how do you go forward from it.”

Blaney is right, Team Penske has bigger fish to fry in the Cup Series in their attempt to defend their three consecutive Cup Series championships. With Joey Logano and Austin Cindric already logging wins for the season at Texas and Talladega, respectively, Blaney has been an unlucky soul yet to see victory lane. Despite leading 200 laps with consistent stage points, Blaney has had everything else go against him in search of victory.

His optimism will be up heading to Charlotte Motor Speedway, a track where he broke his 59-race winless streak in 2023 with a stunning victory. While he hopes to get his season on track with a win, Roger Penske is still battling the fallout on the IndyCar side of things.

Tim Cindric stands tall as Austin is unfazed

Tim Cindric didn’t shy away from expressing his sentiments after being fired from his role as IndyCar Team President. After the Indianapolis 500 qualifying scandals, Cindric posted on X, writing, “It’s been an amazing ride! While my conscience remains clear through all of the noise and accusations, I’m grateful to have so many great people to draw strength from in times like this. Still standing tall!”

Fans speculated this might have implications for Team Penske’s Cup Series #2 driver, Austin Cindric, the son of Tim. However, with Cindric having locked himself into the playoffs already, proving his worth as the third driver besides two Cup Champions, the future seems brighter than ever. When inevitably asked about his dad’s firing ahead of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, Cindric said, “Professionally, I’m in no different place than I was a week ago.”

Team Penske might be in a mess on the inside, but they certainly don’t air it out for the world to see. Professional as ever, the team would hope that a solid weekend of racing can put all the scandal and firing talks in the dust, as their main goal is to perform well on the track. Do you think Team Penske can rebound with a win in the Indy 500 or the Coca-Cola 600? Let us know in the comments!