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Rose-Hulman Alumnus Rides to the Top
April 11, 2011
Alumnus Tim Cindric Hailed among Nation's Top Mechanical
Engineers
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology alumnus and
Indianapolis native Tim Cindric, president of Penske Performance
Inc., has been named one of America's top mechanical engineers by
Inventors Digest magazine.
Cindric was one of six mechanical engineers
whose career achievements were featured in the April issue's
Modern Marvels
section. The group was chosen based on peer
recognition, societal impact of their work and commitment to the
craft.
A 1990 Rose-Hulman mechanical engineering
graduate, Cindric has managed Penske's racing operations, including
NASCAR and IZOD IndyCar Series teams, since 2005. During that time
Penske's Indy car program has won 54 races, including five
Indianapolis 500 victories and a record-tying three straight wins
from 2001-03, and nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories,
featuring the 2008 Daytona 500.
Cindric received the inaugural Herb Porter
Memorial Award in 2002. The award recognizes the person who through
innovation, technical advancement or other accomplishments has
enhanced the philosophies and goals of the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Ironically, Cindric's motorsports career started working alongside
his father, Carl, in Porter's Speedway Engine Development
operations center. And, it was Carl who urged his son to get an
engineering degree in order to realize his dream of becoming a race
car mechanic.
Cindric has far surpassed those original
expectations. He formerly worked as interim general manager and
design engineer for TrueSports Co. in the CART Series, 1991-92, and
was team manager of Team Rahal, being named 1998 and 1999 CART Team
Manager of the Year.
"Racing is a very difficult business to get into at the
entry level," Cindric told Inventors Digest. "You have to be very
persistent and make a lot of sacrifices relative to time and
income. You have to have the passion to do it."
Asked to describe his dream project, Cindric told the magazine:
"I'm living it . . . When you win at Indy (Indianapolis 500), you
become part of a different club. I've had that opportunity to ride
on that platform five times."
Cindric was inducted into Rose-Hulman's Athletic Hall of Fame in
2001 for his four-year basketball playing career. He was recently
recognized as a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame's
prestigious Silver Anniversary team for his career at Pike High
School in Indianapolis.