109. Indianapolis 500 offers more than Penske Racing scandal

Indianapolis – Will Power gets it.

The 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner was part of the greatest history of the 109^TH So far.

He drives for Roger Penske, the man who belongs to the series and for whom she is known.

Although Power himself had nothing to do with the violation that was found in his car on the qualification day, although he had nothing to do with the release of the three leading leaders of the Penske Racing Indycar program, he still squeezed this Indy from the 800 pound gorilla.

“Message cycles move pretty quickly,” said Power before the race on May 25th. “So if you can bring in a win there, this would certainly be a good way to get forward.”

The Penske story will not disappear, nor should it not.

An organization that has tried to make its reputation as polished as its racing cars and the Semis through two cases of rules in just more than a year. At the beginning of 2024 it was the improper use of push-to-pass; This time it is the change in a technical part.

All of this is on the inherent conflict of interest in a company that has a team, the league in which it competes, and in its largest stadium.

What happens over 200 rounds on the asphalt and the bricks of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway helps to determine how quickly Penske's Black Eye fades.

However, when the race day approaches, it was prominent enough to push obvious, interesting and feel -good stories into the background.

Think about what the highlight of Pole Day should have been.

Robert Shwartzman, who had never driven with an oval, went faster than 33 other drivers, eight 13 Indy 500 victories. He is Russian decent, born in Israel and grew up in the European Road Racing Lord and rose in the last two seasons on the role of Formula -1 Reserves for Ferrari.

Shwartzman's team, Prema, is new to the Indy cars. In comparison, Penske took part in the 500 in 1968.

“When I came to the USA, especially at the beginning, not many people knew who I was or my story,” said the 27-year-old Shwartzman.

“I tried to know her a little step by step. The whole qualification is just a great success for everyone. 'Who is this guy?' I just appear out of nowhere. “

Usually we see more of Kyle Larson's second doubles in the spotlight.

The 2021 Nascar Cup Series champion, which usually fills its days off with sprint car races, tries to win at Memorial Day on Sunday, both the Indianapolis 500 and the Nascar Cocar Cola 600. Of the five drivers who could try it, only Tony Stewart completed the full route.

Last year Larson's plans were messed up by a four -hour rain delay in Indy and an early end on the Charlotte Motor Speedway, which coincided with his arrival in North Carolina. Larson's non-participation there meant that Nascar changed his rules to make it more difficult to remain the masterful justification. This year it is more likely that he will make early commuting when he has to.

Larson admitted that the aspects were drained outside of the car of his second experiment. He will start 19^TH. It is unclear how many opportunities he will get.

“I have the feeling that with a few smaller accidents we had, it was obviously a bit more difficult and then only more than we had to work on the balance of the car last year,” said Larson.

His two wrecks in practice were different; The first Larson ran wide and the second to whom he turned.

“I have the feeling that we didn't really have a lot to do last year,” continued Larson, “but it only took a little more time to get to this comfortable place this year.”

From a technical point of view, the arrival of the hybrid unit – which brakes the regeneration of energy under and the ability to use it for a power supply thrust, could influence the strategy. However, it is even more important that the additional hundred pounds on the rear part of the car influence the handling and possibly contributed to a number of accidents through practice and qualification.

“This could be an interesting sauce in this recipe for this race,” said Helio Castoneves, the four -time winner who will make his 25^TH Indy begins his first for 50 years.

However, others described the system as “another press”. Different opinions are a matter for the discussion.

Some will tell them that the Indycar season was boring so far. Alex Palou, who deserved the last two series titles and three overall, also won four of the first five races of this season. But as good as he was in 2025 and as strong as in 500 practice, the only flaw of his sparkling curriculum vitae is the lack of an Oval track victory.

“I want to win in an oval. Trust me, I try, I have it hard,” said the 27-year-old Spaniard, who will start the sixth.

“There is nothing I can do until Sunday to change that. … There were many, many people who needed many years to win this race or win against Ovale. Hopefully we can change it quickly.”

Is there a favorite? A driver? A team? Not so much.

A rookie-pole-sitter and the Power cars and the two-time title winner Josef Newgarden, who starts in the back row, are just three examples of a wrong grid.

Castoneves does 22^ndColton Herta 27^TH In a backup car and Marco Andretti 29^TH. While too many Mays involved in Herta Flips and Andretti's career has decreased in terms of expectations, it is conceivable that their Andretti -global cars could come to the front. The deepest starting position for a racing winner is the 28th place of Ray Harroun in the first 500 in 1911 and Louis Meyer in 1936.

“The back 10 is just as strong if not stronger than the front 10 of the group,” said Kyle Kirkwood, another Andretti driver who will start 23^RD. “It will be an interesting race because of that.

“You can expect the Penskes to get through, of course.”

The drivers were largely reserved on May 22nd to talk about the Penske situation. Understandably. When the six-time series champion and the 2008 winner, Scott Dixon, May should be a time when the series shines and cannot be swallowed up in the scandal.

Newgarden closed almost every question in connection with the pole-day violation and the shot, to which his strategist, team president Tim Cindric belonged, or nibbled at the corners with a smile.

He said he could still win 32^nd In order to be the first driver to win the 500 -pensee -21 -indy victories three times in a row -he reminded the gatherings that distractions are one of the inevitable challenges of the race.

Despite all the successes, Penske Racing had his challenges at Indy.

Do you remember 30 years ago?

One season after the dominance of the 500th Penske could not qualify in 1995. Emerson Fittipaldi was bumped into on the last day of the qualification, and al our Jr. was too slow. This story can be remembered as well as the victory of Jacques Villeneuve this year.

Now drop by in three decades to see how the story is treated with the current attempt by the Penske heir.

“This place only throws up real curve balls,” said Power. “It is exactly the same. It is a very discouraging, hard race to win, and the consequences are great if you make a mistake on the route.

“Yes, that's what it makes so special.”

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