With Tim Cindric at the helm of Team Penske, Scott McLaughlin led the famed organization in a front row sweep for the 108th Indianapolis 500 in 2024. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tim Cindric, the longtime Team Penske executive who departed the organization amid controversy last year, is returning to the NTT IndyCar Series with a new role for the 2026 season.
Team Penske announced Thursday that Cindric will serve as the race strategist for the No. 3 Chevrolet driven by Scott McLaughlin, marking a notable comeback for one of the sport’s most experienced strategic minds.
Cindric’s return was part of a broader announcement outlining the strategist lineup for Penske’s three entries. Team President Jonathan Diuguid will call strategy for two-time series champion Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Chevrolet, while Travis Law will handle strategy for newcomer David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.
“Tim Cindric brings decades of experience to Scott’s timing stand, and given his experience and time within our organization, he will be a great addition to our lineup on race day in the role of race strategist,” Diuguid said in a statement.
Cindric, 64, first joined Team Penske in 1999 and spent more than 25 years helping build one of motorsports’ most successful programs across IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, World Endurance Championship and Australian Supercars. His tenure as team president from 2006 until early 2025 included more than 400 victories and 31 championships, highlighted by 10 Indianapolis 500 wins.
Last May, Cindric was one of three top executives dismissed from Team Penske after technical infractions during Indianapolis 500 qualifying. At the time, Roger Penske moved to tighten control and safeguard the organization’s reputation following back-to-back rule breaches.
McLaughlin improved from 29th to ninth in the INDYCAR standings heading into The Month of May at Indianapolis in 2025. (Photo: Chris Owens | Penske Entertainment)
In his new role, Cindric will focus on race weekends, a shift from the broader operational responsibilities he once carried. The move reunites him with McLaughlin, whom he helped recruit from Australian Supercars and has long supported through the New Zealander’s transition to IndyCar.
McLaughlin welcomed the announcement.
“Tim Cindric is a huge part of why I was able to make the journey from Australia to the IndyCar Series,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve had a very close relationship for many years, and he’s been a tremendous help to my career. I’m so excited to get to work with him in this capacity in 2026.”
The 2026 IndyCar season opens March 1 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida.
