For Tim Cindric, the time had finally come to lift his foot off the gas—at least a little.
The longtime Penske Racing president, who has overseen NASCAR, IndyCar, and IMSA operations for decades, made headlines last week when he announced he’d be stepping back from his overarching leadership role. The move surprised many in the industry, but as Cindric explains, it wasn’t a rash decision—nor was it driven by any professional or personal conflict.
Instead, the 56-year-old is simply looking for balance, focusing solely on Team Penske’s IndyCar operations while handing off day-to-day oversight of NASCAR and sports car racing.
“If I keep up this pace forever, I won’t experience a whole lot outside of racing,” Cindric admitted.
Decades at the Helm Take Their Toll
Cindric has been the architect of Penske’s modern dominance, guiding the team to championships in IMSA and NASCAR last year, as well as back-to-back Indianapolis 500 victories. But with nearly 25 years of managing multiple racing disciplines, the travel, meetings, and relentless schedule had begun to take a toll.
“The past 20-some years, it’s been hard to really even plan for anything,” Cindric said.
From a leadership standpoint, few have had a heavier workload in motorsports. Cindric managed Penske’s expansive operations across three major racing series, acting as the glue between every department, from engineering to strategy to logistics.
But after years of working across three racing series, the realization set in—he wasn’t leaving himself any time for life outside of the sport.
The Toughest Conversation: Breaking the News to Roger Penske
When Cindric finally made the decision, telling Roger Penske—the man he’d idolized and worked for since 1999—wasn’t easy.
“That’s not an easy thing to do when you’re talking to somebody that you’ve always wanted to work for, and now you’re going to tell them that you don’t want to work as much for him.”
Knowing Penske’s high standards, Cindric feared the worst—that “The Captain” might tell him it was all or nothing. But the conversation turned out to be far more supportive than he expected.
“Roger asked, ‘What do you think would give you the flexibility you need? If I can help you stay here in some way, what are you looking for?’”
Cindric explained that while he loved IndyCar and had a minority ownership stake in the team, keeping up with the full NASCAR and IMSA schedules was becoming unsustainable.
“I don’t want to keep up with a NASCAR schedule the way it is,” he said. “From the Porsche standpoint and all that, I want to be there with you when you win Le Mans. But all the things are in place in those series, and I don’t feel like we’re at a point where it’s going to happen with or without me.”
A New Focus: Staying in IndyCar & Preserving Penske’s History
Ultimately, Penske and Cindric agreed on a new role—one where he would stay fully involved in IndyCar operations, continuing as a strategist for Josef Newgarden while also maintaining oversight of Penske’s vast collection of historic race cars and archives.
It’s a win-win situation:
- Cindric gets to step away from an unrelenting schedule, regaining some personal time.
- Penske keeps one of his most trusted leaders overseeing the IndyCar program, ensuring continuity and long-term stability.
- Team Penske’s NASCAR and IMSA operations remain in good hands, as Cindric has spent years building strong leadership in both divisions.
Life Beyond the Pit Wall: What’s Next for Cindric?
For the first time in years, Cindric will actually have time for himself.
“I might actually get to go to Amelia Island or Goodwood,” he said, referencing two of the world’s premier automotive events.
Beyond that, he won’t be disappearing from the paddock—far from it. With IndyCar still on his plate, fans can still expect to see Cindric calling strategy for Newgarden and guiding Team Penske’s championship pursuits.
But for once, the mastermind behind Penske’s success is taking a moment to breathe. And after decades of leading from the front, it’s a well-earned break.
