The Biggest Losers From NASCAR at COTA
What’s Happening? NASCAR’s first road course race of the season is in the books. With thrilling battles and drama in both…
Austin Cindric avoided a suspension this week following his tangle with Ty Dillon at COTA. However, a rule change to NASCAR’s Playoff Waiver system this offseason could have set Cindric back even more had he been suspended.
At one point, Austin Cindric was considered one of NASCAR’s best Road Racing Prospects. In his impressive time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Cindric made 20 road course starts, scoring five wins, 14 top-fives, and 16 top-tens.
However, this skill has not transitioned to the Cup Series level. In his 22 Cup Series starts on a road course, Cindric has just three top-fives and nine top-tens. This past Saturday, Cindric had a solid practice session but looked off-pace during qualifying at Circuit of the Americas, which resulted in a starting spot of 36th.
His race was not the best as well, though he improved to finish 25th. However, an incident at the tail end of lap 3 saw Ty Dillon push the No. 2 off track; in turn, Cindric hooked the No. 10 in the right rear, spinning Dillon down the front stretch of Circuit of the Americas.
Following this incident, which looked intentional, fans began a campaign to see the No. 2 fined, penalized, and suspended. NASCAR would hold this decision past their typical Tuesday release date, signaling penalties were indeed on the way for Cindric.
What’s Happening? NASCAR’s first road course race of the season is in the books. With thrilling battles and drama in both…
When NASCAR revealed its decision on Wednesday, the sport’s officials did take action against Cindric. However, some fans found NASCAR’s decision underwhelming.
Officials confirmed that they deemed this wreck intentional; regardless, rather than the traditional suspension for an intentional wreck under green, NASCAR fined and penalized the No. 2. In total, Cindric lost $50,000 and 50 driver points.
What’s Happening? NASCAR has fined and penalized Austin Cindric for intentionally wrecking Ty Dillon on the front stretch at Circuit of…
This ruling technically does not follow NASCAR precedent; in recent seasons, notable drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliott were suspended for intentionally wrecking drivers under green.
In comparison, Cindric’s penalty is similar to those handed to Wallace and Carson Hocevar last season. Hocevar wrecked Harrison Burton under caution at Nashville, was penalized 25 driver points, and was fined $50,000. NASCAR fined Wallace $50,000 for running into Alex Bowman on the cooldown lap at Chicago. Notably, unlike Cindric’s retaliatory blow, these incidents were not under green flag conditions.
On this week’s episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk Podcast, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, Mike Forde, clarified this decision. Forde stated that officials did not suspend Cindric as this incident took place on a road course. “The reasons are, you look at it, it is at a road course [with] lower speeds, tight confines to begin with, and the result didn’t even draw a caution.”
For reference, Wallace’s 2022 suspension was on a high-speed intermediate track in Las Vegas. While Elliot’s 2023 tangle with Denny Hamlin was at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
This justification has not satisfied every fan. However, a 50-point penalty moved Cindric from 11th in the Cup Series with 80 points to 35th with 30 points. That being said, had Cindric been suspended, Cindric’s championship hopes could have ended three races into the 2025 season.
Following a season of difficult decisions regarding NASCAR playoff waivers, NASCAR changed its playoff waiver system during this offseason.
Per NASCAR:
Suspended drivers typically are granted a playoff waiver. However, noticeably missing from the list of exceptions for forfeiture is a suspension. Had Cindric been suspended, and even if he were granted a waiver, like Elliott in 2023, the driver’s season would be essentially over. Cindric would have forfeited all of his current and future Playoff Points.
While Cindric could have technically recovered, the odds to do so would have been slim. While Cindric is still in a hole, sitting 35th in points, NASCAR’s decision not to penalize Cindric may have saved him from a monumental penalty.
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