It’s a conundrum straight out of Goldilocks. Is this penalty too light? Is this one too harsh? Which solution is just right? Nobody knows

Indycar’s disqualifications of Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin from the St. Pete race were followed this morning by Team Penske suspending four members, including Newgarden’s pit strategist Tim Cindric, for the entire month of May.

The suspended crew members will not be in Indianapolis and have no input on setup or strategy They will have shop access in North Carolina.

At first, I thought that may be the penalties were a bit too light. But, on further reflection, and after reading Marshall Pruett’s excellent interview with Roger Penske, I decided that the suspensions were fair.

According to Penske, there was no willful intent to skirt the rules, but a processing error within the team. In Penske’s mind, what happened did not rise to the level needed for termination. I accept that.

Indycar and Team Penske both gathered information and made decisions. maybe the timing could have been tighter, but to quote Juan Pablo Montoya, “It is what it is.”

Newgarden and Team Penske will have to carry a figurative Scarlet C the rest of this season, but they will let their on-track performance speak for them.

I don’t expect much of a drop in performance from Newgarden or Mclaughlin or Will Power despite the absent personnel on the pit stand.

The next time I talk about this will be in my post season wrap up. The penalties have all been assessed, and they will be served. It’s time to go racing at the greatest racetrack in the world.