In a statement sent to IndyCar news media Friday, Chevrolet addressed the Team Penske push to pass scandal with the manufacturer announcing that a law firm had reviewed the controversy and found no evidence of involvement by Chevy employees.
IndyCar disqualified Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlhin from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg season opener and docked Will Power 10 points after series officials determined the drivers had access to the push to pass system on the starts and restarts.
Newgarden, who won the race, and McLaughlin, who finished third, were stripped of their finishes for unapproved pushes of the overtake button that supplies roughly 50 horsepower (Power didn’t use the button illegally).
The news had raised questions within the IndyCar paddock about the role of Chevrolet’s engineers, who closely work with Penske and its other teams at the track with access to the same data that IndyCar scrutinized to find the infractions at St. Pete.
GM president Mark Reuss addressed those concerns in the statement.
“We respect the decision and actions of IndyCar as well as Team Penske’s commitment to improve their processes and controls,” Reuss said. “Chevrolet engaged a third-party law firm to conduct a thorough review of the matter, and they found no evidence that any Chevrolet employee had any knowledge of or involvement in the matter. Chevy looks forward to engaging with IndyCar and our partner race teams to assist in any enhancements that further support the integrity of IndyCar competition.”
