Penske Confirms 2024 Indy 500 Winner Used Illegal Modification

The 2025 Indianapolis 500’s already buzzing with controversy. Turns out, Josef Newgarden’s 2024 race-winning car had illegal modifications.

The drama centers on the attenuator, a safety-critical piece of the car. Team Penske, with Roger Penske at the helm, admitted to the breach, which has stirred up plenty of debate about last year’s race.

Even though the tweak didn’t boost performance, it broke the rules. That’s been enough to get the whole IndyCar community talking.

The Discovery of the Illegal Modifications

Right before the Fast 12 qualifying for the 2025 Indy 500, officials found that both Josef Newgarden’s #2 Shell Chevy and Will Power’s #12 Verizon Chevy had illegal modifications to the attenuator.

Journalists first noticed something off while checking out Newgarden’s 2024 winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Roger Penske later confirmed what everyone suspected: last year’s winning car wasn’t legal.

What is an Attenuator?

The attenuator, or rear impact structure, is pretty much the backbone of safety for these cars. It’s usually made from carbon fiber and sits at the back, doubling as a rear wing support and a crash absorber.

If a car gets hit from behind, the attenuator is supposed to take the brunt, soaking up energy to protect the driver. Dallara, the chassis manufacturer, supplies it, and teams aren’t allowed to mess with it.

The 2024 Rule Change

After the 2023 season, Dallara sent out a bulletin in January 2024. Teams had to send back their attenuators for upgrades—new panels got bonded on for extra strength and safety.

But Team Penske went a step further. They made some unauthorized changes, maybe just to make the part look better, if you believe some reports.

Blending Rules and Misinterpretations

The rule book—section 14.7.8.16.1, for those keeping score—lists which parts teams can blend. It covers things like the roll hoop cover and sidepods, but not the attenuator.

Apparently, Penske’s crew might’ve thought the attenuator was on that list, which led to the rule break. Honest mistake or not, it still counts.

Rotating Attenuators and Mixed Compliance

Roger Penske explained they had nine attenuators modified by Dallara at the start of 2024. They rotated them among their cars for the last 15 months.

This mix-and-match approach meant some cars had the illegal version, others didn’t. Scott McLaughlin’s pole-winning car at this year’s Indy 500? No illegal mod. Newgarden’s and Power’s cars? They had it.

The Role of Safety

Doug Boules, president of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, pointed out that the attenuator’s all about safety, not speed. Because of that, officials didn’t watch it as closely as other parts.

Boules explained the attenuator’s job is to cushion rear impacts, protecting the driver by soaking up energy before it reaches the drivetrain and, ultimately, the person behind the wheel.

IndyCar’s Response and Future Implications

Even though Newgarden’s 2024 winner was definitely illegal, IndyCar officials won’t retroactively disqualify him. Boules said the results from last year’s race and other affected events will stay as they are.

He emphasized that this was a safety issue, not a performance one, so it didn’t really help the team win.

Penalties and Moving Forward

Boules said Team Penske’s penalty was pretty hefty, all things considered. If officials had caught the problem sooner, they would’ve let the team fix it and still race.

Now, there’s a renewed focus on checking safety parts more closely in the future. Nobody wants to see this kind of mess repeat itself.

Conclusion

The discovery of illegal modifications on Newgarden’s 2024 Indianapolis 500-winning car has stirred up a lot of talk in the IndyCar world. Folks are debating what it really means for the sport.

Even though the violation didn’t boost performance, it still put a spotlight on how crucial safety rules are. IndyCar will probably need to step up how closely it checks safety components if it wants to keep things fair—and safe.

If you want to dig deeper, check out the full article on Speedcafe.