The Indianapolis 500, often dubbed “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” is no stranger to drama, but the 2025 edition has been overshadowed by a cheating scandal that has sent shockwaves through the IndyCar community. Team Penske, the powerhouse owned by Roger Penske—who also owns the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway—has been caught in yet another rules violation, leaving six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon frustrated and fans questioning the integrity of the sport. The controversy centers around illegal modifications to the cars of two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and 2018 champion Will Power, who have been relegated to the back of the grid for Sunday’s race.

The issue came to light during Sunday’s Fast 12 qualifying session, when IndyCar officials discovered that the rear attenuators on Newgarden’s No. 2 and Power’s No. 12 cars had been illegally modified. These safety devices, designed to absorb impact in rear-end crashes, were found to have filled seams, smoothed out to create a sleeker surface—potentially offering an aerodynamic edge, though IndyCar President Doug Boles insists it provided “0.0 miles per hour” in performance gain. The rulebook is clear: spec parts like the attenuator must remain unmodified to ensure a level playing field, a cornerstone of IndyCar’s competitive ethos.

Team Penske’s attempt to fix the issue in the pit lane during qualifying, using grinders to remove the illegal filler, only deepened the controversy. The team’s actions violated rules prohibiting post-inspection modifications, leading IndyCar to disqualify both cars from the Fast 12 session and impose harsh penalties: Newgarden and Power will start 32nd and 33rd, respectively, their strategists Tim Cindric and Ron Ruzewski have been suspended, and each team was fined $100,000.

Scott Dixon, a revered figure in IndyCar and a driver for rival Chip Ganassi Racing, didn’t mince words when addressing the scandal. “It’s just a bad look, right? It’s Roger’s series and his track. It’s not anything any of us wants to see,” Dixon said, his frustration palpable. He went further, advocating for an independent governing body to oversee IndyCar, free from Penske’s influence. “The biggest problem I see is there’s a bit of a theme going on here,” he added, referencing Team Penske’s 2024 push-to-pass scandal, where Newgarden was stripped of a win for illegally using extra horsepower.

Dixon’s sentiments echo a broader unease in the paddock. Chip Ganassi, among other team owners, was vocal in alerting IndyCar officials to the illegal modifications, with some claiming the issue had been overlooked for over a year. Photos from as early as last month’s open test and even Newgarden’s 2024 Indy 500-winning car, now on display at the IMS Museum, show similar modifications, raising questions about the thoroughness of IndyCar’s technical inspections.

This isn’t Team Penske’s first brush with controversy. In 2024, the team was caught manipulating software to allow drivers, including Newgarden and teammate Scott McLaughlin, to use the push-to-pass boost at unauthorized times. The fallout was significant: Newgarden lost his St. Petersburg win, and four key team members, including Cindric and Ruzewski, were suspended. Now, with the attenuator scandal, Penske’s reputation is under scrutiny again, and the optics are grim—especially given Roger Penske’s ownership of the series and the track. As one fan’s modified shirt reading “Team Cheaters” starkly illustrated, public perception is taking a hit.

Despite the penalties, some argue they’re not enough. Pato O’Ward, who finished second to Newgarden in 2024, suggested the Penske cars should have been forced into a last-chance qualifier to re-earn their spots. Meanwhile, rookie Jacob Abel, who was bumped from the 2025 field despite running a legal car, became an unintended casualty of the controversy.

Despite starting at the back, Newgarden and Power remain formidable. The Indy 500’s history of lead changes—52 in 2023 and 48 in 2024—suggests a comeback isn’t impossible, especially for Newgarden, who has mastered late-race surges to win the last two races. Dixon himself acknowledged, “I will be a lot more surprised to not see [Newgarden] up with us at some point.” Still, no driver has ever won from lower than 28th, making Newgarden’s quest for a historic three-peat a steep climb.

As the Indy 500 approaches, the focus should be on a sold-out crowd, a rookie pole-sitter in Robert Shwartzman, and storylines like Kyle Larson’s attempt at “The Double.” Instead, the Penske scandal has cast a shadow, prompting calls for reform. IndyCar President Doug Boles emphasized the need for a level playing field, stating, “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.”

For fans, the scandal is a bitter pill, but it also fuels the passion and drama that make IndyCar so compelling. Will Newgarden defy the odds? Can IndyCar restore trust? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation as we head toward race day!