Tim Cindric’s wife, Megan Cindric, has built her own successful career in business while supporting her family through the highs and lows of racing life.
Born on April 20, 1968, in Indianapolis, Tim Cindric established himself as a motorsports executive powerhouse.
The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology alumnus began his journey at Team Rahal, serving as team manager from 1994 to 1999.
His basketball background as a four-year letterman translated into strategic thinking that would define his racing career.
Penske Racing recruited Cindric in October 1999, recognizing his exceptional talent for race strategy and team management.
The organization promoted him to president of Penske Racing in January 2006, where he orchestrated championship victories in 2014, 2017, and 2019.
Cindric served as strategist for elite drivers including Will Power and Josef Newgarden, cementing his reputation as one of racing’s most influential executives.
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However, Cindric’s career trajectory took a devastating turn when cheating scandals engulfed Team Penske.
The organization faced its first major controversy in 2024 when officials caught them manipulating push-to-pass systems during the season opener at St. Petersburg.
Josef Newgarden’s victory was stripped, and Cindric received a suspension that included missing the Indianapolis 500.
The situation deteriorated further in May 2025 when technical inspectors discovered illegal modifications to rear attenuators on cars driven by Newgarden and Will Power during Indianapolis 500 qualifying.
These safety devices had been altered in ways that potentially provided aerodynamic advantages, violating IndyCar’s strict regulations.
The scandal deepened when investigators found the same illegal modifications on Newgarden’s 2024 winning car displayed in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum and the car brought to the White House.
Roger Penske responded decisively to the mounting pressure from rival teams and the racing community.
He fired Cindric along with IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and general manager Kyle Moyer three days after the violations were discovered.
The termination ended Cindric’s 25-year tenure with Team Penske and marked the conclusion of what many considered a potential succession plan for the racing empire.
Tim Cindric Met His Wife, Megan Trueman, While Working For Her Father’s Racing Team
Tim Cindric’s personal life centers around his marriage to Megan Cindric, a union that brought together two prominent racing families.
Their love story began in the early 1990s at Truesports, where both their professional and personal destinies intertwined.
Megan comes from racing royalty as the daughter of Jim Trueman, who owned the legendary Truesports racing team and founded the Red Roof Inn motel chain.
Trueman achieved significant success in motorsports before his death in 1986, just days after Bobby Rahal won the Indianapolis 500 for his team.
This tragedy left Megan to carry forward her family’s racing legacy while working within the business her father built.
When Tim joined Truesports as an engineer in 1990, earning $29,000 straight out of college, he initially avoided Megan despite noticing her presence.
The class difference intimidated him, as he described himself as “the peasant” while she was “the boss’ daughter.”
However, their relationship blossomed after spending an evening talking at a club following a going-away party, and later when Tim drove Megan home from the airport.
The couple married in 1991, creating a partnership that would prove instrumental to Tim’s eventual success.
Megan possessed intimate knowledge of the racing world through her family connections, including a relationship with Roger Penske.
She consistently encouraged Tim’s ambitions, often asking why he didn’t reach out to Penske directly with his resume.
Tim’s response revealed his philosophy about earning recognition:
“Roger finds the best people. If I deserve it, he’ll find me just like he finds his drivers or anyone else. But I’m not going to go to him with a resume.”
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This approach ultimately proved successful when Penske called Tim in 1999, offering him the opportunity to lead the IndyCar program.
Tim And Megan Cindric Have Built A Strong Marriage and Raised Two Sons
Tim and Megan Cindric have built their marriage on shared values and mutual support over more than three decades together.
Their partnership has produced two sons who have followed different paths while maintaining strong family bonds.
Their eldest son, Tanner, graduated from Denver University with a marketing degree and chose a career outside racing.
Their younger son, Austin, has embraced the family tradition by becoming a professional NASCAR driver.
Austin won the 2022 Daytona 500 and currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Team Penske, creating a unique dynamic where father and son both worked for the same organization until Tim’s termination.
It takes a strong woman to put up with racecar driver as a kid. Thankful for my mom and everything she does for me.
— Austin Cindric (@AustinCindric) March 9, 2019
My sponsor @MoneyLion is doing something really cool to celebrate the strong women in our lives, check it out 👇🏻https://t.co/O6C7peJbOT #PaveTheWage pic.twitter.com/dTy6ymMND7
Megan has played a crucial role in Austin’s racing development, traveling across the country to support his participation in various racing series.
Her hands-on approach to nurturing his career demonstrates the active involvement that characterizes her parenting style.
Austin’s decision to pursue racing came at age nine when he approached his parents with what he called a “life-changing discussion,” expressing his desire to become a professional race car driver.
Initially, both Tim and Megan resisted their son’s racing ambitions, with Tim noting that racing was “the last thing we really wanted” for Austin.
However, Megan quickly tested Austin’s resolve, pointing out that his father’s build as a former college basketball player might prevent him from fitting in race cars.
Austin’s quick response referenced Michael Waltrip’s size, demonstrating his serious commitment to the sport.
The family’s approach to Austin’s career required him to maintain high grades and secure his own funding by high school graduation.
This strategy taught responsibility while allowing him to pursue his passion. Austin successfully met these requirements, earning his parents’ continued support for his racing endeavors.
Even During Tim’s Career Setbacks, Megan Cindric Kept The Family Strong And Stable
Beyond her role as a racing wife and mother, Megan Cindric has established herself as a successful businesswoman.
She currently works as an American money manager and car-dashing group proprietor, building on the business acumen inherited from her father’s entrepreneurial success.
Her professional achievements demonstrate independence and capability that complement rather than compete with her husband’s career.
This balance has allowed the Cindric family to maintain stability even during the challenging periods of Tim’s career, including the recent scandals that ended his tenure at Team Penske.
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Megan’s experience growing up in the racing world prepared her for the challenges of living under constant media attention and community judgment.
The family’s approach to handling controversy reflects their deep roots in racing culture, where integrity and reputation matter immensely.
Despite the professional setbacks that ended Tim’s career at Team Penske, the couple’s marriage appears to have weathered these storms through their shared commitment to family values and mutual support.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Tim Cindric was a childhood friend of Eric Holcomb, who is now the Governor of Indiana.
- He was kicked off his high school baseball team for choosing to attend Pole Day at the Indianapolis 500 instead of dressing for a varsity game.
- Tim broke his ankle in gym class just before sectionals during his senior year of high school basketball, which derailed his dreams of playing for Bobby Knight at Indiana University.
