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USA Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
Indy 500 Team Penske penalties, explained: What happened to Newgarden, Power?
Indy 500 Team Penske penalties, explained: What happened to Newgarden, Power? Josef Newgarden enters the 2025 Indianapolis 500 with a chance to do what no driver has ever done - win three consecutive Indy 500s. Yet the pre-race favorite was dealt a severe penalty along with teammate Will Power following last weekend's qualifying sessions, and both cars will start at the back of the field. The drama surrounding Team Penske this week has called the credibility of one of IndyCar's most successful teams into question, and resulted in massive organizational changes on the eve of the biggest race of the year. Here's a full walkthrough of the controversy as it emerged last Sunday, and all of the fallout in the days since. Newgarden, Power pulled from Top 12 qualifying due to technical violation Team Penske had already suffered a setback last Sunday morning as Scott McLaughlin crashed his car in practice, rendering him unable to compete for a top starting position in Top 12 qualifying. Yet as the 10 remaining fastest qualifiers lined up to go out, there was a buzz of confusion on the broadcast as it was reported that Team Penske's Josef Newgarden and Will Power had been pulled out of line. Broadcast footage then showed that Team Penske crew members could be seen working on the rear attenuators of each car, something that is not allowed after cars clear technical inspection and line up to qualify. The exact sequence of events is a bit unclear, as IndyCar and Team Penske reported different things in the moment, but Newgarden's car had actually failed pre-qualifying inspection due to a body-fit violation involving the rear attenuator. Will Power's car reportedly passed inspection, but had the same issue as Newgarden's machine, so Team Penske tried to solve the issue on pit road. Team Penske ultimately pulled both cars from the line and did not make a qualifying attempt on Sunday, which at the time would have left Newgarden starting 11th and Power starting 12th, behind McLaughlin in 10th. What is a rear attenuator on an IndyCar, anyway? We aren't engineers or mechanics here at For The Win, so we'll let the fine folks at explain (they also have a very in-depth investigation into the issue here). Via "This rectangular piece sits at the back of the car and is attached to the gearbox where it serves two basic roles. Its primary role is to absorb impact in a crash and reduce the g-forces felt by the driver. It also serves as the mount for the rain light assembly." The problem with the rear attenuators on the No. 2 and No. 12 car last Sunday is that the edges of the attenuator panel had been blended with another part of the car, reportedly as an aesthetic choice. The rear attenuator on Scott McLaughlin's car was inspected and did not have the same blending issue, which is why he was allowed to keep his No. 10 starting spot. IndyCar announces full penalties for Team Penske On Monday, IndyCar announced severe penalties for cars No. 2 (Newgarden) and No. 12 (Power). The drivers would be moved from a provisional starting spot of 11th and 12th, respectively, to the back of the field in 32nd and 33rd. IndyCar also suspended the team strategist of each team for the remainder of the event, stripped each team of the qualification points they earned, and fined each team $100,000. Penske announces sweeping organizational changes On Wednesday, May 21st, Team Penske released an announcement that sent shockwaves around the motorsports world. Team Penske president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer all parted ways with the organization. This isn't the first time Team Penske has been embroiled in a technical scandal, and Roger Penske made note of that in his comments. Two Team Penske cars were disqualified from a 2024 race in St. Petersburg for Push-To-Pass violations. 'Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,' Roger Penske said. 'We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.' What Roger Penske said about his team's penalties Roger Penske sat down for an interview with FOX's Jamie Little, and apologized for his team's error and any affects it had on harming the credibility of IndyCar. "Believe me, it hurts me in my gut when you think about it. But I look at it this way, there's a certain amount of credibility you have to have. That's integrity, individually and collectively our team, the sport, and I think I let, we let people down. I've made some management changes we announced today, and I think we'll move on and our goal is to win the race." Penske also pushed back on some critics who argue that Newgarden and Power should be disqualified entirely from the Indy 500 and barred from the race on Sunday, noting that they passed inspection in Saturday qualifying and posted a speed good enough to lock in a spot in the race. Was something wrong with Josef Newgarden's 2024 Indy 500-winning car? Not long after the news of Team Penske's modified attenuators broke last weekend, journalists and fans began digging to see if this could have been an ongoing issue. Newgarden's race winning 2024 car sits in a museum at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and that car appeared to have the same blending violation that got his 2025 car penalized. In the same interview, Penske conceded that, yes, the team did receive a batch of modified attenuators from Dallara in 2024 that had rotated between cars for many months, but also contended that after the win last year, Newgarden's car was torn down and inspected and declared to be "completely legal for the win."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ross Chastain cuts tire, crashes after leading Coke 600 practice averages
Ross Chastain finished second in Friday night's NASCAR Truck race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and when the Cup cars went out on the track for Coca-Cola 600 practice, he was again very fast. Timing in ninth overall on the time sheets, Chastain was showing impressive long-run speed in the No. 1 Chevrolet. He led all drivers in the 10-lap, 15-lap, and 20-lap averages. Unfortunately, after 20 laps on track, disaster struck as he cut a left-rear tire going down the backstretch. The car spun out in Turn 3 and Chastain hit the outside wall with the driver-side door. The car came to a rest on the apron and was towed back to the pit lane. While a cause has yet to be officially determined, being aggressive with extremely low air pressures has caused previous tire issues for other teams this year. "Just down the backstretch, all of the air came out of it at once," said Chastain after being released from the infield care center. "I tried to just keep it straight and braked as hard as I could in a straight line. But it was too late. I was okay until I got into the banking and then the whole car got on the ground and around it went." Advertisement While Chastain was the only driver to suffer an on-track incident during the practice session, another Chevrolet driver never even got on track to begin with. Kyle Busch, who announced a contract extension with Richard Childress Racing on Saturday morning, was the only driver not to run any laps. Busch reported a steering issue and the team scrambled to replace the power steering pump. Read Also: Richard Childress: Kyle Busch's career "is not even close to being over" Kyle Busch extends contract with Richard Childress Racing through 2026 To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ai Ogura uncertain for MotoGP British GP after Friday fall
Trackhouse Aprilia rider Ai Ogura is in doubt for the rest of the British Grand Prix weekend following a crash on the opening day of action at Silverstone. The Japanese rookie injured his right knee after crashing in FP1 on Friday morning. This led to him missing practice in the afternoon, as his race against time to be fit for Saturday began. Advertisement 'I was running not so fast on the second run,' explained Ogura. 'I was on my way to improve but… wrong timing, the wrong amount of push and I crashed. 'After that my right knee [did not feel right] and we decided to skip practice this afternoon. Hopefully, overnight, my knee will get better and I hope to be fit for tomorrow. 'For now, I will just do what I can and see what happens with my body. Hopefully, it's going to be better [tomorrow].' The incident was Ogura's sixth fall of the season, counting all sessions and races. That is approximately in line with the MotoGP field average. Ai Ogura, Trackhouse Racing Ai Ogura, Trackhouse Racing Marc Fleury Marc Fleury Advertisement Ogura made a sensational start to the season, qualifying on the second row for the Thailand Grand Prix, claiming fourth in the sprint and finishing the grand prix fifth. But things have become more difficult since then. At the second round in Argentina, he raced strongly but was disqualified for a software technicality. However, he has finished every race to date and still managed to make the top 10 in three of the last four grands prix. Qualifying has proven more difficult than Thailand suggested, with Ogura having made Q2 only once since the 2025 opener. Missing practice means Ogura is once again condemned to Q1 on Saturday – should he be fit to ride at all, that is. Read Also: Franco Morbidelli suffers second grid penalty of MotoGP 2025 at British GP To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kyle Larson challenges IndyCar drivers to try 'the double' in NASCAR
has probably been one of the busiest people in the U.S. for the last couple of weeks, splitting his time between preparing for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, aka the 'Great Spectacle in Racing' — and his busy schedule as a NASCAR regular. After his share of practice days and qualifying at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Larson sat down with to talk about beating Tony Stewart's historic double results from 2001, his approach to the 109th Indianapolis 500, whether he will return to the event next year, and how much he wants IndyCar drivers to race the Coke 600. Advertisement Motorsport: You're a true racer, someone who really loves driving fast cars. That's your life almost every day. What do you enjoy most about driving in Indianapolis in an IndyCar? "Yeah, I think what I enjoy a lot about being here in Indianapolis for the Indy 500 is being part of such a huge event. It's the biggest racing event in the world. It's one of the biggest events in the world, period. 'It's really cool, and doing something new and different from what I typically do is a fun challenge. I enjoy that. I enjoy learning new things and racing with people from different backgrounds. It's been really cool being a part of this event these past two times. I look forward to the weekend and hopefully doing a good job. What do you get from driving an IndyCar in Indianapolis that you might not get from driving your Cup car — not in the sense that one is better than the other; more the feeling as a driver. 'Yeah, I mean, I think what surprised me in the beginning, and what continues to surprise people when I tell them, is that the two cars are more similar than different. The way they drive and feel, the aerodynamics, and the sensation of speed are similar, although the IndyCar goes a lot faster. The sensation you get is similar based on the grip you feel. The IndyCar is more technically advanced with probably more cockpit adjustments. That's one thing you have to get used to in the beginning. But aside from that, as I said, there are more similarities than differences.' Advertisement Last year, you completed your entire time in Indianapolis without crashing, which was quite a feat. This year, you crashed twice in the lead-up to the race. Was that because you were pushing the limits more? What did you learn from those situations? 'Yeah, I think that with the introduction of the hybrid system this year, the weight of the car has made it a bit more challenging to find the right balance. I didn't feel very good at the open test. Then, you know, I had a spin last week. I had a lot more front grip than I've ever felt in an IndyCar. Yeah, it kind of swapped around on me. But you've seen it this year. A handful of really good drivers have lost control of their cars. But, as I said, it's a fun challenge trying to figure out your car and improve its balance.' Would you like to see someone do the Double the other way around? Do you think it would be more challenging for someone from IndyCar to go to NASCAR? 'Yeah, I think I would love to see that. I love seeing crossovers between series. It's always been NASCAR to Indy. I hope someday you'll see an IndyCar driver give the Coke 600 a try. But it's tough. I feel like the equipment here at Indy is a little more equal than in NASCAR. Advertisement 'So, I feel like you can be more competitive coming here than going to run a stock car. I think a driver like Josef Newgarden could do extremely well because he'd have one of the best cars here and in Charlotte. You would get a fair read on how it would go. I would love to see it. But it's challenging with logistics and everything. I think I'm unique here in this regard. I know it happened more before, but I feel like the window of time has just gotten tighter now. It makes it harder for others.' Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Do you think this will be your last time at the Indy 500, no matter what happens on Sunday? 'I don't know. I never want to close the door on anything. I'm definitely not closing the door on competing in the Indy 500 again. But I know that when this deal was originally put together, it was just a two-year plan. I don't think there's any thought of doing it again next year. But who knows? Anything could change, and maybe someday down the road, after I'm no longer a full-time NASCAR driver, I'd love to commit to doing this again. But you just never know where life will take you.' Advertisement What will make you feel satisfied when you go to bed on Sunday night after a very long day? 'First off, finishing all the laps would be amazing. That's my first goal. Then, I would love to surpass what Tony Stewart did: finish sixth at Indy and third at the Coke 600 in 2001. If you could win one of those, that would be great. For now, I'm really just trying to finish the laps.' You're starting in 19th place. Last year, you started further up in the race. Are you concerned about dealing with traffic right from the beginning? 'No, there was a point early in the race (in 2024) where I had a bad restart and fell back to 15th or 16th place. So, you know, I gained some experience with starts and learned what to look for. But yes, whenever you're in the middle of the pack, that's where the craziness happens. Hopefully, we can do a good job of avoiding anything and come away with good track position early on, and then work from there.' Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren, Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren, Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement You're already accustomed to using all the little tricks and tools in the IndyCar. For example, the weight jacker, and now, the hybrid. Are you feeling confident about the race? 'Yes, I do. I feel like we've gotten enough practice, and I'm comfortable with how everything feels. We have Carb Day on Friday, where we can make more runs on pit road, do pit stops, and so on. That's always good practice before the race. I feel like, come race time, I'll be ready to go.' You're working with some very talented drivers at McLaren, especially Pato O'Ward, who has always been quite competitive in the Indy 500. How has it been working with him? 'He's a lot of fun to be around. He's got a big personality. Obviously, he's an extremely good racecar driver. You can tell that he's the go-to guy on the team, the one everybody goes to for information and feedback. So, yeah, it's great to have a teammate like that. I always love cheering on my teammates once I leave here and following their seasons.' To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Aprilia stands firm over Jorge Martin contract saga
Aprilia has stood firm over Jorge Martin's push to be released from his contract early and expects the defending MotoGP world champion to remain at the team at least until the end of 2026, it has said in a statement. The Italian manufacturer has remained silent on the matter since exclusively revealed Martin intended to invoke a clause in his contract to be released from the second year of his deal for 2026, allowing him to leave at the end of the season. Advertisement The agreement signed by Aprilia and Martin last year at the Italian GP is set to hold no binding effect for the second season. understands that in the version accepted by Aprilia, Martin's representatives included a clause granting him full freedom to accept offers from other teams if he was not among the title contenders after last Sunday's French GP at Le Mans. Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia Racing Aprilia Racing 'Aprilia Racing denies that any negotiations have taken place between the parties to modify the duration of the contract, which remains as originally agreed upon. The team has no comment on matters that do not directly concern it but expects other teams to refrain from making any kind of offer to riders who are under contract. Such behaviour would, in any case, not be legitimate. Advertisement 'The entire Team will continue to support Jorge throughout his recovery process, as it always has, and looks forward to seeing him back on track with the RS-GP.' Aprilia's comment on it 'expect[ing] other teams to refrain from making any kind of offer to riders who are under contract' is believed to be aimed at Honda, which could be Martin's destination if he is released early from his current contract. Honda has no intention of making any move until Martin resolves his ongoing conflict with Aprilia and is officially free, while Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola held a meeting with Hikaru Tsukamoto, his Honda counterpart, at Le Mans. The situation is remarkable following Martin's switch to Aprilia as reigning MotoGP world champion after winning the title last year with Pramac Ducati. Advertisement Two pre-season injuries sidelined Martin from the first three rounds in Thailand, Argentina and Austin, and he returned in Qatar, still not fully recovered, only to suffer a serious injury that resulted in nearly two weeks of hospital treatment in Doha due to a pneumothorax. While a return to action date hasn't been set yet, it seems unlikely he will be fit to return before the German GP, the 11th round, scheduled for 11-13 July. To read more articles visit our website.
