Team Penske Announces Key Personnel Changes For Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS — Team Penske announced key personnel changes for Sunday’s 109th Indianapolis 500 following team owner Roger Penske’s decision to release Team Penske IndyCar President Tim Cindric, Managing Director Ron Ruzewski and General Manager Kyle Moyer after the team was penalized for a rules violation in last Sunday’s Indy 500 Qualifications.

Luke Mason will take over as the race strategist and Raul Prados the race engineer on Josef Newgarden’s No. 2 Chevrolet as he attempts to win the Indianapolis 500 for the third-straight year. That car will start 32nd in the 33-car field.

Ben Bretzman has been elevated to race strategist and Malcom Finch to race engineer on Scott McLaughlin’s No. 3 Chevrolet. That car will start 10th and was not penalized on Sunday because his car was deemed legal by IndyCar technical.

Jonathan Diuguid is the new race strategist and David Faustino the race engineer for Will Power’s No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet. That car will start last in the 33-car field.

On Sunday, IndyCar officials ruled that rear attenuator on Newgarden’s No. 2 Chevrolet and Power’s No. 12 Chevrolet had been modified, which is against IndyCar rules.

It was the second year in a row that Cindric and Ruzewski were suspended from the team at the Indy 500 after they were involved in a scandal involving the push-to-pass system at the St. Petersburg race in 2024.