Austin Cindric, who secured a spot in the playoffs for the second year running after his Talladega win in April, recently shared a heartbreaking experience from his racing career. Despite recent successes—such as a top-five finish at Richmond and aiming for victory at Daytona—Cindric recalls one of his toughest moments from a 2020 Bristol Xfinity race, a time when he endured severe physical pain and frustration behind the wheel.
During Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions interview, Cindric named this particular Bristol race as the worst he had ever endured in a race car. After overtaking Ross Chastain on a restart to claim the lead, he encountered a critical setback. Cindric explained,
“I passed Ross Chastain on a restart to take the lead and drove off. It was a 40-lap run, but five laps into the run, I lost power steering. At Bristol. Old car. And I held on to the lead until six laps to go.”
The Physical and Emotional Toll of Losing Control
The loss of power steering forced Cindric to bend the steering wheel with immense effort just to maintain control. He described the extreme discomfort and exhaustion he faced during the final laps, saying,
“I was bending the steering wheel in my hands. Like physically, there was nothing I could do. I had gone through all this pain just to lose it with six laps to go.”
The agony of the moment went beyond physical strain; it affected him emotionally as well. Reflecting on his reaction, Cindric admitted,
“I’ve never been in tears because of physical pain and strain before, but just to lose like that, it sucked hard. The tough part about being miserable in a race car is you’re trapped in the car, alone. No one can help you.”
The Aftermath and Personal Reflection
Following the race, Cindric struggled mentally with the defeat. The pain and helplessness reverberated deeply in his mind, yet the experience also provided a harsh test of his determination and desire for success. Though painful, it gave him insight into his resilience and hunger to keep proving himself.
One moment Cindric particularly remembers came later in the media center, when race winner Chase Briscoe approached him with concern and asked,
“Hey man, did you just get tight? What happened?”
Instead of detailing the ordeal, Cindric responded curtly,
“Sure, I got tight. Leave me alone.”
In later reflections, he admitted,
“I’ve never felt so helpless in all my life. I’ve never felt such pain in a race car. My body went numb for a while… I’ve never lost a race that way.”
Moving Forward with Hope Amid Past Pain
Despite the lingering memory of that brutal race, Cindric continues to push forward with Team Penske, a team known for strong playoff performances in recent seasons. His current run in the playoffs, with potential to claim a championship or earn a spot in the Championship 4, may offer some relief and redemption from that painful chapter. Until then, the 2020 Bristol race remains a stark reminder of the physical and emotional challenges drivers face on the track, highlighting the grueling nature of the sport and Cindric’s resilience through adversity.
