Game-changing information about Team Penske's Indy 500 controversy emerges

Team Penske found itself under the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons, at the qualifying for the Indy 500. On the final day of qualification, speculations around the paddock conveyed that Chip Ganassi Racing had been the initial whistleblowers on the rear attenuator situation, but new details reveal how the IndyCar seemingly turned a blind eye towards Team Penske running illegal modifications at earlier instances.

Many tipped the Mooresville-based squad to replicate their last year's success at the IMS by claiming the front row for the elusive Indy 500, including JHR driver Conor Daly earlier in the year. It was understood that the team had one of the fastest cars for the fabled race, which was portrayed during their early rapid pace on the first day of qualifications.

However, as the second day rolled around, paddock soon got a sight of the No. 2 and No. 12 Team Penske cars being worked on in the background with an angle grinder. Later, information emerged on how the team was running illegal rear attenuators on the two cars, which was brought to notice by Chip Ganassi Racing.

This then led to the two charters being relegated back to the last row of the field as IndyCar revealed how they had just gotten to know of the scandal going on in the background. But, when IndyCar reporter, Marshall Pruett, investigated the issue by talking with CGR directly, he got to know the bigger picture.

The Indianapolis-based team had allegedly revealed the illegal modifications made to Team Penske cars during the Barber Motorsports Park race weekend. But IndyCar glossed over it initially before this issue was caught up at the Top 12 qualifying for the Indy 500, as Pruett explained:

"The rumor going around the paddock from the moment that this went off was Chip Ganassi Racing tipped IndyCar to the illegal modifications... So I went and asked, and the team told me, 'No, we didn't tell IndyCar here, we told them at Barber Motorsports Park.'"

"The team told me that yes, we raised it with them. The suggestion that this was just known and found for the first time on Sunday; cool thing about living in America is you can pretty much say whatever you want. And so, that's their story, they are sticking to it. The troubling part for me is the idea that this was shared with IndyCar between May second and fourth Barber Motorsports Park. And we came here for the start of activities at the IMS, with this known and no action being taken."

After the scandal was brought to light, the talk about a conflict of interest soon began as Roger Penske owns a team in the series that he owns, at a track that the 33-car grid would be racing on.

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What measures were taken by Team Penske after the scandal came into light?

Roger Penske at the Rolex 24 at Daytona - Source: Getty

After the rear attenuator ordeal came into the light, questions were raised over Roger Penske's ownership of a significant portion of the assets in the championship. He quickly broke his silence and shared a heartfelt apology on social media through the team's social media handles.

However, Team Penske's actions had breached the trust of fans. This led the 88-year-old to call for the sacking of key members at the Mooresville-based squad. He axed the team president, managing director, and general manager from the team in light of the issue.

With such measures, Penske aims to restore the trust of fans that it previously had, but this is the second time in the past year or so that Team Penske has been at the forefront of such allegations and has been found guilty.