INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roger Penske delivered a forceful command for drivers to start their engines at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
It was probably the highlight of his day. Maybe even his month.
After the most trying of weeks for his own race team, one marked by qualifying penalties and the firing of three Team Penske executives, The Captain watched Scott McLaughlin crash out of the Indy 500 before it even began, then had two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden bow out with 66 laps to go because of a fuel pressure problem.
“It's tough to not have a shot at the end,” Newgarden said. “I just wish we had a chance to fight for it.”
He got much closer than McLaughlin, who was warming up his tires on the parade laps when he lost control and hit the inside retaining wall, causing so much damage to the famous No. 3 car that he wasn't able to start the race.
“I have no idea what happened,” said McLaughlin, one of the pre-race favorites despite an earlier wreck in practice, who climbed from his car, cradled his helmeted head in his hands and appeared to be nearly inconsolable on the infield grass.
“Just really upset for my team,” he said. “They built me a fantastic car again. I'm really sorry to my sponsors, my fans, my family. I don't know what happened. I can't believe we're out of the race. I had so much hope today. It's the worst moment of my life.”
Penske, who also owns IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, had been scarce in public since qualifying weekend, when the cars of Newgarden and former winner Will Power were found to have an illegally modified part.
Both were penalized and sent to the rear of the 33-car starting grid.
Penske went even further after the second scandal to engulf his team in just over a year, firing team president Tim Cindric and Team Penske officials Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer, who had served as the strategist on McLaughlin's car.
McLaughlin did not have the illegally modified part on the car that he wrecked in the final round of qualifying.
The start of the 109th running of the Indy 500 was delayed when a cloud of light rain that passed over the speedway, where a crowd of about 350,000 people had arrived early and packed the sold-out grandstands. Trucks with huge dryers were sent onto the track, and it was declared ready by race control after a delay of about 35 minutes.
Penske received a warm ovation when he finally stepped to the microphone and delivered the starting command.
McLaughlin, who was starting on the inside of the fourth row, was swerving back and forth across the track to warm up his tires when his car suddenly kicked left at the end of the front stretch. It slammed into the inner barrier, destroying his suspension and ending the race he wants to win more than any other before it had even started.
It was reminiscent of the 1992 Indianapolis 500, when pole-sitter Roberto Guerrero spun out and crashed while trying to warm up his tires during the parade laps. And just like McLaughlin, he was unable to take the green flag to start the race.
“I know it's probably dramatic,” McLaughlin said after leaving the infield care center, “but it's just like — I put so much into the race. Everyone does. And I didn't even get to see the green flag.”
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Dave Skretta, The Associated Press
