In a shocking turn of events at the Indianapolis 500, star drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power were sidelined from the Top 12 qualifying session after failing inspection, sending shockwaves through the racing world.
The tension was palpable as the Team Penske crew frantically worked on Power’s car, removing the rear wing due to suspected illegal modifications to the rear attenuator. The sight of angle grinders and hurried repairs on pit lane left onlookers stunned and officials fuming.
Despite the last-minute efforts to rectify the issues, IndyCar stood firm in their decision to bar Power and Newgarden from taking to the track, a devastating blow for the powerhouse team. The modified areas on the attenuator raised eyebrows, hinting at the lengths teams might go to gain an unfair advantage.
Both drivers will now have to settle for starting on the fourth row alongside their teammate Scott McLaughlin, who faced his own challenges after a practice crash left him without a backup car. Questions loom over how the cars passed initial inspection and what led to the discovery of the unauthorized modifications just before qualifying.
The Indianapolis 500 qualifying session, meant to showcase the best of the best, instead became a stage for controversy and disappointment as two of the sport’s biggest names were sidelined in a spectacle that will not soon be forgotten.
