Austin Cindric faces significant challenges as he approaches a crucial NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend at Kansas Speedway, with the Charlotte Roval road course looming next week as the Round of 12 finale. The pressure to perform well on these Austin Cindric road courses is intense, as his chances to advance to the Round of 8 heavily depend on his results at both tracks.
If Cindric, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner, manages to win at Kansas, he will secure a spot in the Round of 8 regardless of what happens at Charlotte. However, if his Kansas finish is lacking, his only path forward is to win at the Charlotte Roval, a circuit that has frustrated him in past seasons. Despite his determination, Cindric has openly acknowledged that his road course performances have fallen short of expectations this year.
Ongoing Difficulties with Road Course Performances This Season
This season has proven to be a struggle for Cindric, who has recorded just one victory at Talladega, two top-five finishes, and five top-10s overall. His results on road courses have been even more disappointing, with finishes such as 25th at Austin, 18th in Mexico City, 27th in Chicago, 30th at Sonoma, and 16th at Watkins Glen. These placements reflect a worrying trend for a driver who knows that strong performances on road courses are essential to extend his playoff run.
Speaking ahead of the Kansas race, Cindric admitted,
“I’d say no, and I think that’s probably an obvious answer,”
showing frustration about his road course struggles. He further explained technical challenges, adding,
“This year has been exceptionally challenging. I think the biggest change I could put on that is we have a tire that we’ve gone to at the start of the year that we’ve integrated into all road courses and, at the end of the day, I’ve struggled to figure out what’s best for my car and what’s best for making lap time.”
Despite these difficulties, Cindric noted that his recent events at Sonoma and Watkins Glen represented some of his stronger efforts this year, even if a 15th-place finish is below what his team aims to achieve. He expressed hope for improvement, specifically targeting the upcoming Charlotte Roval race:
“I definitely look forward to Charlotte and once again trying to adapt what we know from our last couple years to the Roval, where we had a great playoff race there last year – (but) not good enough to win.”
Road course racing, once a relative strength, has become one of Cindric’s “weakest areas” in 2023. He acknowledged the increased competitiveness inherent in the series, admitting,
“It ebbs and flows. It shows how competitive the series is, and nothing is guaranteed. You’ve got to keep evolving.”
Playoff History and the Hunt for Consistency
Last year, Cindric’s best road course result came at the Roval, finishing fourth in the playoff event, but subsequent races at Kansas and Talladega yielded disappointing 34th and 32nd-place finishes, respectively. Those poor outcomes prevented him from advancing beyond the Round of 8. This year, his path remains uncertain as he entered Kansas sitting 10th in the standings, 19 points shy of the final transfer position, with only two races left before the Charlotte Roval showdown.
He barely escaped Round of 16 elimination, posting finishes of 12th at Darlington, 19th at Gateway, and 30th at Bristol. His Team Penske Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse has shown some promise amid these inconsistent results, but points and position remain a critical concern.
Reflecting on the necessity for a strong run, Cindric stated,
“We were in a must-win last year, but it’s gonna have to be a good event for us regardless, but it has been frustrating.”
Assessing the Urgency of the Situation
Despite the precarious position, Cindric resists labeling his current state as desperation. He conveyed a cautious optimism about his chances at Kansas and Charlotte, emphasizing the possibility of making up ground in these demanding events.
He asked rhetorically, “Should I be desperate?” and elaborated on the challenges ahead: Kansas and Charlotte have proven treacherous, with frequent wrecks and lost positions providing opportunities for bold comebacks. With two races remaining, a 19-point deficit, while significant, is by no means insurmountable.
On his outlook for the upcoming races, Cindric remarked,
“I’m not getting ahead of my skis here at all, but I think from our standpoint, you have to look at it realistically and think that we’re gonna have to go out and have two of our best weeks of the year to go make this happen on points, but I think those are two tracks that we’re capable of doing that. I’m excited for this weekend. It pumps me up. We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to go out and gain. I think that’s kind of where my head’s at.”
Looking Ahead: Can Results Improve at Kansas and Charlotte?
When asked whether he believes a significant turnaround is possible at Kansas and Charlotte, Cindric was honest about past setbacks. He pointed out that no race so far has unfolded in his favor. He reflected on the season’s ups and downs by stating,
“I don’t think any race has really gone the way we wanted it to so far.”
Highlighting his internal struggle with performance consistency, he added,
“I can sit here and list off all the reasons why, and a lot of ways, I feel like that’s how our season has gone this year. If I looked at my season from the perspective of a top 10 means I’m good or not, I’d go crazy because we’ve had a lot more than just that, but we have to go out and put it up there.”
Cindric emphasized the critical role that scoring points through strong finishes needs to play going forward:
“We need to get results and results equal points, whether that’s in the stages or at the end of the races.”
He praised his pit crew’s consistency during the playoffs, noting,
“My pit crew has probably been doing the best job they have all year and been super consistent and super reliable through the playoffs. I’d say that’s probably one of my overwhelming positives.”
Yet, he remains mindful of the gap between what has been accomplished and what must be achieved:
“Past that, we’ve done what we needed to, but what we did in the last round is not going to be enough to get us through, and I also don’t feel like we’ve been able to achieve our maximum in those races, either.”
Summing up his mindset as the critical road course races approach, Cindric stated,
“I think that’s really where my head’s at and where my focus is because I do feel like if we achieve the maximum of what we’re capable of as a group, or much closer to it, I feel like we’ll find ourselves in a very favorable position to continue fighting for a championship.”
