Cindric shaped winners across disciplines. He led Rahal's CART team before jumping to Penske in 1999, climbing to president of Penske Racing. NASCAR dominance followed, alongside IndyCar transitions from CART to IRL. He spearheaded the Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 program in 2005 and Penske's Australian Supercars push via DJR Team Penske. Exhaustion hit by late 2024 after constant travel and multi-series oversight.
Early 2025 brought a pivot. Cindric scaled back to IndyCar president, eyeing work-life balance. A push-to-pass scandal at St. Petersburg in 2024 led to his two-race suspension. Roger Penske's May cleanup post-Indy 500 violations axed Cindric, along with managing director Ron Ruzewski and general manager Kyle Moyer. All three executives exited amid scrutiny over manipulated systems that disqualified Josef Newgarden's win and Scott McLaughlin's result.
Firing stung, yet Cindric calls it his choice in part. He stays positive, skipping overseas trips like his son Austin's Supercars stint in Australia to enjoy Ohio Thanksgiving with family. Offers roll in now. "Interesting" job talks span racing and beyond, from strategy roles to non-motorsport ventures. No rush. He savors untethered freedom after manic years.
Cindric's void reshapes Penske. Jonathan Diguid steps up as IndyCar president for 2026. Austin Cindric holds his NASCAR seat firm at No. 2 Ford, unfazed by dad's ouster, chasing playoffs with Talladega momentum. Tim's strategist ear for Newgarden? On hold after two Indy 500s sidelined.
Racing lifers rarely pause. Cindric ponders wisely. His call sets the pace.
