Penske Cars Should Have Faced Last-Chance Indy 500 Qualifier

The 109th Indianapolis 500 is shaping up to be a wild ride, but it’s already tangled in controversy. Rinus VeeKay, who barely scraped onto the grid after a nail-biting last-chance qualifier, didn’t hide his frustration about how officials handled Team Penske’s cars.

The No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet of Josef Newgarden and the No. 12 Chevrolet of Will Power had illegal modifications to their rear attenuators during the Fast 12 qualifying. Even so, they got the green light to race, and that’s set off a storm of debate among drivers and fans.

The Controversy Unfolds

During Fast 12 qualifying, officials discovered those rear attenuator tweaks on the Team Penske cars. Oddly enough, these cars had already passed several tech inspections earlier in the week. Allowing them to stay in the race despite the violation left a lot of people scratching their heads and questioning the competition’s fairness.

Rinus VeeKay’s Perspective

VeeKay, now in his sixth Indy 500, made his feelings pretty clear. He barely edged out his rookie teammate Jacob Abel for the last grid spot. VeeKay believes Newgarden and Power should’ve had to fight for their place in the last-chance qualifier, just like he did.

“It’s an even more unfortunate situation for Jacob now,” he said, clearly frustrated.

Doug Boles’ Explanation

IndyCar and IMS track president Doug Boles stood by the decision. He insisted the 33 fastest cars deserve to be in the race. According to Boles, all cars passed tech inspections on Saturday, and officials didn’t have a reason to re-check them until the issue popped up in Fast 12 qualifying.

“On Saturday, all the cars passed tech. There was not a reason to look at those cars,” Boles explained.

Team Penske’s Defense

Helio Castroneves, who drove for Team Penske in the past, jumped to their defense. He argued those modifications didn’t really give much of an edge. Castroneves, a three-time Indy 500 winner with Penske and a contender again this year, shrugged off the impact.

“I don’t think that little lip is going to make them three miles an hour faster,” he said. He’s chasing a record-breaking fifth win, so he knows a thing or two about what matters out there.

The Impact on Team Penske

Team Penske owner Roger Penske, who also owns the IndyCar series, is caught in a tough spot. Boles described the situation as “devastating” for both the team and the series. Penske’s reputation for obsessing over details makes this whole mess sting even more.

The Broader Implications

This mess raises bigger questions about how consistently officials enforce the rules. Some folks think letting Newgarden and Power race made sense, but others feel it chips away at the sport’s integrity.

Looking Ahead

The race is almost here, and honestly, everyone’s watching Team Penske. Will the controversy throw them off their game? That’s the big question.

VeeKay’s doing his best to stay locked in on the race, even if you can tell he’s a bit frustrated. “If you had told me a week ago that I’d be starting on the same row as two Penskes, I would have been very happy,” he admitted with a crooked smile.

“Unfortunately, we’re at the tail end of the field.” Not exactly what he was hoping for, but that’s racing.

If you want to dive deeper into how this is all unfolding, check out the full article on Motorsport.com here.