Hinchcliffe Questions Penske’s Dual Role in IndyCar’s Integrity

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has raised concerns about the legitimacy of IndyCar since Roger Penske acquired the series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2019. He argues that Penske’s ownership of both the series and Team Penske creates a conflict of interest.

Penske’s team has competed in the IndyCar series since 1968, and the recent spotlight on IndyCar intensified after Team Penske was penalized for modifying car parts during the Indianapolis 500 qualifying. As a result, drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power were sent to the back of the grid for the race, and the team faced a $200,000 fine.

Hinchcliffe, a six-time race winner, voiced his opinion on the Awful Announcing Podcast. He stated, “It’s not a great look. I don’t know of any other professional sporting body where the owner of the sport and the series also owns a team.”

He emphasized that having a series owner competing in it raises serious questions about conflicts of interest. Hinchcliffe pointed out examples from other sports, mentioning that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver do not own teams within their leagues.

In the wake of the controversy, Roger Penske reiterated the importance of integrity in the sport, stating, “Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams.” Meanwhile, Hinchcliffe maintained that Penske should not continue to own both IndyCar and Team Penske.

As the controversy unfolds, the focus remains on the Indy 500, where all teams are preparing for the upcoming race weekend amid ongoing discussions about ownership and governance in the sport.