Chip Ganassi: Team Penske needs to be held to ‘higher standard to protect the sport’

On Sunday, during the second day of qualifying for the 109th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” it was discovered that the cars of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power had an illegally modified part.

They were disqualified from making a four-lap run, and INDYCAR a day later hammered the team: Newgarden, the two-time defending race winner, was dropped to 32nd in the field and Power was moved to last for this weekend’s Indy 500.

Chip Ganassi, the CEO of Chip Ganassi Racing, was one of many who complained to INDYCAR inspectors and Penske executives that the cars were illegal on Sunday. The next day, he remained disappointed in the drama that is now overshadowing the biggest race in the world, one that is sold out for the first time since 2016.

“I think all teams have a certain responsibility to uphold the integrity of the sport, in any series, and no team more than team Penske,” Ganassi said on an episode of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour” set to be released Thursday.

“They’ve had so much success over the years, and it’s a team that everybody has heard of, and they have success around the world in a lot of different series, so they need to be held to a higher standard to protect the sport, especially with the investment that Roger Penske has at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in the INDYCAR Series and his business, for that matter,” Ganassi added.

Newgarden is attempting to become the first driver to win the Indy 500 in three consecutive years, but no driver has won after starting on the last row. Power, meanwhile, is in a contract year and Team Penske has maintained it wouldn’t begin discussions on an extension until after the 500. Asked last week about Power’s future with the team, Cindric told AP: “Well, if he wins the 500, that would make for a much easier conversation.”

Now, Newgarden and Power are in deep holes despite having nothing to do with the situation.

“They have a responsibility to protect the sport — we all do,” Ganassi told Harvick. “Everyone that’s in it needs to protect the sport, and it’s certainly a problem when the pursuit of winning compromises the integrity and sportsmanship. That’s what you have.”