Austin Cindric didn’t mince words in a Wednesday media Zoom call. The Team Penske driver left New Hampshire Motor Speedway knowing he missed a chance to boost his odds of advancing from the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. On a weekend when his teammates, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, dominated, Cindric struggled and now finds himself 19 points below the Playoff cutline. As a result, the margin for error has eroded.
“I definitely view it as a missed opportunity in a few ways,” Cindric admitted. “It starts in qualifying. A lot of that was on me, just not getting the lap. I got a little impatient exiting a lap that would have been pretty strong.”
After the subpar qualifying result, Cindric struggled to work his way forward in the Mobil 1 301, and things didn’t get any easier as the No. 2 Ford Mustang Dark Horse suffered some front-end damage in the final Stage of the race. After inspecting the front of his car on pit road following the race, Cindric realized the damage was catastrophic from an aerodynamic standpoint as he had a separated front splitter.
“We got some damage. Probably more than I thought,” Cindric added. “It was pretty challenging, Stage 3 to come back up through the field.”
With just two races left to erase the effects of the rough outing at New Hampshire, Cindric knows exactly what he and his No. 2 Team Penske team need to do to advance to the Playoffs Round of 8: deliver their two best weeks of the season, and it all starts this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
No Desperation… Yet
While Cindric didn’t have the best day at Loudon, he enters Kansas Speedway within striking distance of a handful of other bubble drivers. At 19 points below the cutline, Cindric doesn’t feel the need for desperation just yet.
“Should I be desperate?” Cindric asked. “19 points is totally not out of the question, especially in two-race events. We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to go out and gain.”
While the Playoffs come with increased intensity and playoff aggression, Cindric says his mindset hasn’t changed.
“My word going into the playoffs was that I wanted to be invisible for the first two rounds,” Cindric explained. “Being on fire in Bristol wasn’t exactly that, but past that, I think that’s still the goal — to stay clean, stay solid, and keep climbing.”
He likely can’t afford any mistakes over the next two races, but Cindric still believes in the path forward.
“If we achieve our maximum as a group — or even close to it — I feel like we’ll find ourselves in a favorable position to keep fighting for a championship,” Cindric said.
Helping fuel Cindric’s optimism is that this weekend’s race will be contested at Kansas Speedway, a 1.5-mile speedway, where execution typically outweighs the level of chaos on display during the race weekend.
Goodyear is bringing a new right-side tire compound for this weekend’s race, but Cindric feels the tire will be a non-factor.
“Kansas is definitely one of those tracks where teams push it right to the edge,” Cindric said. “But I don’t expect the new right-side tire to throw a curveball. Everything I’ve seen points to similar wear and pace.”
Teammate Dynamics: Walking the Line
With Penske teammate Ryan Blaney already locked into the Round of 8 after a win last weekend at New Hampshire, and Joey Logano still needing points, race etiquette among the three teammates will be a factor at Kansas, but Cindric says Penske has a plan.
“We’ve had those conversations — what’s the right thing to do, how to take care of each other,” Cindric said. “Even Joey and I, racing for the same real estate, we still have to be smart. We want a championship for Team Penske — that’s number one.”
That said, he’s not expecting any free passes, even from Blaney, who is already locked into the Round of 8.
“Ryan’s gonna race me hard,” Cindric stated. “A win means just as much to him as it does to me. But knowing that going in lets me prepare the right way.”
Road Course Struggles With Roval Ahead
Cindric comes from a road racing background, and heading into the 2025 season, the discipline has always been regarded as a strength for the 27-year-old. However, looking ahead to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval as the Round of 12 cutoff race, Cindric admits road courses haven’t been his strong suit this season.
“It’s actually probably been one of the weakest areas for me this year,” Cindric admitted. “The new tire we started running at road courses has been a big adjustment. I’ve struggled to figure out what’s best for making lap time.”
While it’s been tough sledding for Cindric at road courses this year, the driver was encouraged by the progress that he and his No. 2 team made at Watkins Glen International, where he collected a 16th-place result. Now, he views the Roval as another shot to execute.
“We had a great playoff race there last year. Not good enough to win, but we were in a must-win situation. This year’s no different. We’ve got to be good, period,” Cindric said.
Next Up: Kansas
The No. 2 team rolls into Kansas Speedway, a track that Cindric has yet to score a top-10 finish at over eight career starts. And they know exactly what’s at stake, and what it will take to stay alive.
“We need two really good weeks. I’m excited. It pumps me up. We’ve got everything to gain,” Cindric stated with optimism.
The Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet at Kansas Speedway is set for Sunday, September 28. The race will be televised on USA Network, and the broadcast will kick off at 3:00 PM ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide the radio broadcast of the event.
