Update – Sunday, July 4, 5:10 p.m. EST – Team No. 33 officially DNF’s from Road America, with a rear gear listed as the issue.
Original Story: Any hope of Austin Cindric recording his first Cup Series victory in Sunday’s Jockey 250 at Road America is gone following a mechanical issue in his No. 33 Mustang.
While battling Kyle Busch and fellow Ford driver Matt DiBenedetto for the race lead on lap 23, Cindric’s Mustang produced a puff of smoke and fell off the pace rapidly.
Something is amiss on Austin Cindric's car.
He was leading, but then looped it here. #NASCAR // #NBCRacingWeekend pic.twitter.com/4W8LmHAYPw
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 4, 2021
Cindric was able to nurse the car for a brief time, but the car ended up spinning off course.
The Columbus, Ohio driver radioed in that he believed it was likely an axle issue. With the quick fashion of the spin, the issue seems to be mechanical.
Driver No. 33 was able to drive the car back to pit road, before heading behind the wall for a diagnosis.
After an impressive qualifying effort, Cindric took the lead on lap 17 on a restart and led for two laps before dueling with DiBenedetto and Busch.
Cindric finished eighth in Saturday’s Henry 180 in the Xfinity Series.
