Roger Penske reveals what he told angry rival bosses after Indy 500 violation

Roger Penske has opened up on what he told frustrated rivals after his team’s violation in Indy 500 qualifying.

The cars belonging to Will Power and Josef Newgarden dramatically failed a technical inspection during Fast 12 Qualifying and were not allowed to head out.

Team Penske were hit with a fine, and more significantly must start both of their cars at the back of the 33-car starting grid.

Some rival drivers have suggested Newgarden and Power should have been forced into Last Chance Qualifying, risking their participation in the race.

The fallout continued when Roger Penske relieved three senior executives - including Tim Cindric - of their jobs.

Cindric was also involved in last year’s ‘push to pass’ scandal.

Roger Penske told Fox that he held a call with other team owners to explain what went wrong at the weekend.

"People have come to me and said ‘you are supposed to be a leader of this sport and here you have these two situations’,” Penske said.

“I think the integrity of this sport… I didn't help it any.

"From my perspective, what I've got to do - and I told this to the team owners - I've got to take the role on along with the Penske Entertainment leadership, and gain back that credibility.

“I know that the speedway here this weekend is a world-class event, the best racing event in the world. The last thing I want to do is tarnish it with any kind of issues from the standpoint of any inspections, or any rules violations.

"We've got to make it better. I have to help do that in a way that I'm not affecting anything beneficial for our team."

Roger Penske on Tim Cindric's exit

Chip Ganassi pointed out that, because Penske owns IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motorway Speedway, his team must be held to an even greater standard.

Penske admitted a second controversy in two years was painful as he discussed getting rid of three top executives.

"I'll really have to go back four-and-a-half years ago when we bought the speedway and I said ‘I would invest capital, get the best people and we'd take the series IMSP and certainly in [the] motor speedway into higher levels.'

“I think we've done that. Then, I look at my right hand and I say ‘What about Team Penske?’

“When I think about Team Penske… we really have had an organisational failure two times. Not once, but two times.

"Believe me, it hurts me in my gut when you think about it.

“But I look at it this way - there's a certain amount of credibility you have to have. It's integrity, individually and collectively, our team and the sport.

“I think we let people down. I made some management changes that we announced and I think we'll move on.

“Our goal is to win the race this upcoming weekend."

Roger Penske - a conflict of interest?

Penske addressed worries about a conflict of interest because he owns IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"I've not been on a pit box,” he said. “I've not been in race control. I'm not in inspections. I've got nothing to do with officiating, especially with the rules.

"No. 1, I can look at myself in the mirror and say ‘I’ve done the right thing.'

“Obviously, we have not done a good job in the optics in the people outside of this. These two violations certainly show that I need to be more diligent.”

Penske hinted at a willingness to allow an outside organisation to legislate over IndyCar rules.

"For probably the last six months, we've talked internally as IndyCar, Mark Miles and Doug Boles, and some outside input, on how we can be more independent from the operational side of the racing — inspection, race control, etc,” he said.

“So we certainly expect, and I would expect, that the team at IndyCar and PE will take a look at that and we may take some action as we move forward.”