CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tim Cindric, a longtime Team Penske executive who was one of three fired by the organization last May for a technical infraction ahead of the Indianapolis 500, has been rehired by the team as Scott McLaughlin’s race strategist for the 2026 season.
The role as race strategist is likely a weekend-only job for Cindric, who seemed reluctant to jump back into the pressures of running a global team such as the one owned by Roger Penske.
“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,” said Jonathan Diuguid, the new president for Team Penske, in a relase issued Thursday.
Cindric had been the longtime team president of Team Penske, as well as race strategist for winner Josef Newgarden, a two-time Indy 500 winner and two-time season champion on the American open-wheel circuit.
Cindric had already stepped back from many of his larger roles following the 2024 season, but when Newgarden and Will Power’s cars failed inspection moments before they were due to run for the pole at Indianapolis last May, Roger Penske fired his top three executives.