Scott McLaughlin will have a new strategist and engineer for the Indianapolis 500 because of a rules infraction that concerned a part on Team Penske cars other than his own, and that has left him both angrily defensive and utterly motivated.

Scott McLaughlin believes the Penske scandal was exaggerated and defended team owner Roger Penske on Thursday. It gives him extra motivation ahead of Sunday's race.

"I probably think about the car more than I think about myself in those situations," McLaughlin said in an interview with the Free Press. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Referring to Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, and Kyle Moyer—all of whom team owner Roger Penske fired Monday following the IndyCar Series’ fact-finding mission about Sunday qualify

IndyStar didn't have a great history when it came to predicting the results of the Indianapolis 500 but that appears to be changing. I'm sure I don't need to remind you who picked Josef Newgarden in 2023 -- OK,

Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud (left) is advising 2024 "500" pole sitter Scott McLaughlin this month at Indianapolis.

Scott McLaughlin became the latest IndyCar driver to have his car go airborne in a crash ahead of the Indianapolis 500. McLaughlin crashed during practice on Sunday ahead of the Indy 500 on May 25. McLaughlin,

Will Power and Josef Newgarden were among the fastest cars in Indianapolis 500 practice, hours after their teams were penalized for illegal modifications in qualifying.