Power sent to the back of Indy 500 grid

Australia’s Will Power and defending winner Josef Newgarden will be forced to start the 109th Indianapolis 500 from the back.

The Team Penske teammates were not permitted to take part in the Fast 12 fight for pole due to technical breaches.

They surrounded modifications on attenuators which are located at the back of the cars near the rear wing.

But now IndyCar has announced Power and Newgarden have been sent to the back of the grid and will chase victory from as low as 32nd and 33rd on the grid.

The team strategists on both the #2 and #12 Team Penske Chevrolets have also been suspended for the remainder of the event and both entities have been fined $100,000.

Critically Scott McLaughlin has avoided any penalty given his crashed “Yellow Submarine” was not found to be modified and will start the big race from 10th.

It is big news given Newgarden has won the last two Indianapolis 500s and Team Penske has bene the team to beat, but not for the first time in recent history been found pushing past the limits having broken boost rules last year.

Also IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is owned by Roger Penske himself.

“The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the INDYCAR rule against modification to this part and using it ‘as supplied’ is clear,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. 

“The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. 

“The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance.

“The positive momentum around the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 has been on a steep crescendo over the last several months, and we want it to be clear that our intent is to maintain that momentum and discourage teams from putting INDYCAR in positions where it calls into the integrity of our officiating and the levelness of the playing field.

“As we look to the remainder of the week and the race this weekend, 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.”

Team Penske released a statement accepting the penalties.

“We accept the penalties issued today by the INDYCAR SERIES which are due to a ‘Body Fit’ violation that occurred prior to the qualifying session yesterday,” a statement read. 

“We are disappointed by the results and the impact it has on our organisation. We will make further announcements later this week related to personnel for the upcoming Indianapolis 500.”

Image: Penske

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