The recent attenuator controversy at the Indy 500 has caused significant turmoil within Team Penske, resulting in the dismissal of three senior IndyCar executives and penalties for two of the three IndyCar teams. Despite this, the impact on the NASCAR side of Penske’s operations is also felt.
Penske fields three full-time cars in the Cup Series with drivers Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric. The NASCAR team has secured the last three consecutive Cup Series titles and is presently competing in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Logano acknowledged the impact of the incident, emphasizing the unity of the Penske team across both IndyCar and NASCAR disciplines. The shared support is evident this weekend through identical ‘yellow submarine’ liveries for Logano and Indy 500 driver Scott McLaughlin.
Roger Penske addressed the situation directly in an exclusive interview with IndyCar on FOX, earning praise from Logano for his handling of the issue within the organization. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Logano emphasized the need to move forward and stay focused on upcoming challenges.
Austin Cindric, whose father Tim Cindric was one of the executives dismissed, discussed the challenge of separating personal and professional life in the racing industry. He expressed understanding of the situation, emphasizing the need to maintain focus on the racing responsibilities ahead, with Cindric leading the Penske lineup in the Coke 600.
