Latest news with #Cindric
Fox Sports
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2025 NASCAR Playoff Picture: Who's In, Who's Nervous, Who's Got To Win
As the regular season winds down and drivers make a run to land a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, those outside the cutline are looking for wins. A win guarantees a spot in the playoffs unless there are more winners than spots available. The 16 spots go to the regular-season champion and then 15 drivers based on wins with tiebreakers by points. Right now, there have been 12 winners and the regular-season champion will most likely be a driver who has won a race. So unless there are five new winners (or four new winners and winless Tyler Reddick makes up a 53-point deficit to win the regular-season title), everyone with a win will get in. The six races remaining in the regular season: Dover (1-mile concrete oval), Indianapolis (2.5-mile flat oval), Iowa (0.875-mile oval), Watkins Glen (road course), Richmond (0.75-mile oval) and Daytona (2.5-mile drafting oval). Of these tracks, the most likely places for upset winners are Watkins Glen, Richmond and Daytona. So likely at most there will be three new winners. Here's a breakdown of who's in and who's on the bubble when it comes to points and who needs a win. Guaranteed Spots Drivers with multiple wins, locked into the playoffs: All these drivers have three wins — Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Shane van Gisbergen. Have A Win, No Worries These drivers might not be mathematically locked in yet with one win, but they are not in danger of being the odd driver out if there are more winners than spots: William Byron, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano. Have A Win, Tiny Worry These drivers might have to battle it out on points if they don't win again and there are more winners than spots: Austin Cindric and Josh Berry. Only six points separate these two drivers, with Cindric ahead; Cindric is 103 points behind Logano as far as the standings of drivers with one win. No Win, Tiny Worry Tyler Reddick. Reddick does have a small shot at repeating as the regular-season champion, but he also has a 115-point cushion on Chris Buescher, who is second in points among winless drivers. On Points Bubble If there are three new winners, none of these drivers would make the field (unless they are among those winners). Here is how the bubble looks: Buescher (+34 on the current cutoff), Alex Bowman (+32), Bubba Wallace (+3), Ryan Preece (-3) and Kyle Busch (-37). Must Win The other 18 drivers either need incredible runs and luck without a win or more likely a victory to make the playoffs: AJ Allmendinger (-50), Ty Gibbs (-60), Erik Jones (-68), Michael McDowell (-70), John Hunter Nemechek (-85), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-91), Carson Hocevar (-96), Zane Smith (-96), Brad Keselowski (-136), Austin Dillon (-138), Daniel Suarez (-139), Todd Gilliland (-148), Ty Dillon (-149), Justin Haley (-152), Noah Gragson (-203), Cole Custer (-214), Riley Herbst (-231) and Cody Ware (-322). Of those drivers, eight have never won a Cup race: Gibbs, Nemechek, Hocevar, Gilliland, Ty Dillon, Gragson, Herbst and Ware. Dover Outlook Among the drivers on the bubble or looking for a win, only Busch (three wins), Keselowski (one) and Bowman (one) have won at Dover. Other drivers who have found themselves among the leaders at the end of Dover races: Stenhouse (best finish 2nd), Suarez (third) and Jones (fourth). Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
25-05-2025
- Automotive
Austin Cindric not concerned about future with Team Penske after his father was fired this week
CONCORD, N.C. -- Austin Cindric is not worried about his future with Team Penske after his father Tim Cindric was fired by team owner Roger Penske as the team's IndyCar president earlier this week following a cheating scandal at the Indianapolis 500. Cindric drives the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, and is currently 12th in the points standings with three top-10 finishes in 12 races, including a win at Talladega. That victory was Team Penske's first of the 2025 NASCAR season. Still, given the family ties with Team Penske it raised some speculation about how his father's departure might impact the younger Cindric. Penske met with all of his NASCAR drivers in person in Charlotte following the moves, including Austin Cindric. When asked if he was given any assurances from Penske that it will not impact his future with Penske's NASCAR team, Cindric shook his head and said 'I don't think it was even in question.' 'Their support has always been very strong and also very transparent,' Cindric said following qualifying Saturday for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 'When I have not performed to my best we have had those conversations. But past that it's business as usual for me.' Tim Cindric was one of three executives fired by Penske after two Penske cars were found to be illegal following qualifying runs at the Indianapolis 500. Along with Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer were also terminated. 'Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,' Penske said in a statement. 'We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.' Penske owns three IndyCars, IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500. He has won the Indy 500 a record 20 times. Cindric called this the best start to his career and believes his team has plenty of momentum following the win at Talladega. Cindric said his father's firing won't impact how he approaches the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. 'Professionally, I'm in no different of a place than I was a week ago,' Cindric said. "I feel like we have a lot of momentum on our team right now in the the No. 2 car. I've never felt better and had a better start to the season. So for me I'm just focused on execution. I feel like we have had some really fast cars."
NBC Sports
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Austin Cindric, Team Penske drivers focused on Coke 600 after tumultuous week for organization
CONCORD, N.C. — His father among those let go by car owner Roger Penske after the second high-profile rules violation in about a year by Team Penske in the IndyCar Series, Austin Cindric has had to face the situation from a personal and professional point of view. 'Racing can be a cruel industry,' Cindric said Saturday matter-of-factly. 'It (also) can be an incredibly rewarding industry.' This week showed how tough it can be. Penske's IndyCar teams were found at Indianapolis to have violated a rule that barred any type of modification to a safety item with the car. While the change was not deemed to provide any advantage, it came a little more than a year after a high-profile violation regarding the push-to-pass system with the Penske cars. With Penske ownership of the series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and teams that compete in the IndyCar Series, the infractions raised concerns among competitors about fairness. Penske responded with the dismissals. Dustin Long, Among those let go was Austin's father, Tim, who had been with the organization since 1999. While the move was jarring, Austin Cindric has had to put that event behind him. 'Professionally, I'm in no different place than I was a week ago,' he said. His focus is on Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 (6:27 p.m. ET green flag on Prime). He starts 14th. Logano starts 16th. Blaney starts 21st. Logano and Cindric each has a win in the last three Cup races. Cindric won at Talladega. Logano won at Texas earlier this month. 'I feel like we have a lot of momentum on our team right now on the 2 car,' said Cindric, a Daytona 500 winner. 'I've never felt better. I've never had a better start to a season. For me, I'm just more focused on execution.' Earlier this week, Penske traveled to the team's shop in Mooresville, North Carolina, to meet with the organization's drivers and crew chiefs and also with the rest of the employees. 'Roger's our leader,' Ryan Blaney said Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 'We follow him no matter where he goes. I'm going to have Roger's back every single time no matter the situation. I talk to him every single week. 'When something like that happens and he wants to fly down to Charlotte and have a meeting with everybody, just to give us an understanding of his mindset and what they're going to do moving forward and where their positioning is, that's just kind of the leader you want. Someone who is in it with you, is a very open book as far as how he is feeling. As someone who works for him and drives for him, I expect nothing less because that's just the type of person that Roger is and always has been.' With such a dramatic personnel change, it would be easy for some to wonder how that could filter into NASCAR program and impact what Cindric, Blaney, Joey Logano do. 'I'm not concerned that there could be any side effects to it as far as our team goes,' Blaney said. Logano said the organization has to put this episode behind it. 'At this point, it's unfortunate, but we've got to move forward,' he said. 'It's something that happened and we've got to stay out the windshield as Roger always says.'
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Austin Cindric not concerned about future with Team Penske after his father was fired this week
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Austin Cindric is not worried about his future with Team Penske after his father Tim Cindric was fired by team owner Roger Penske as the team's IndyCar president earlier this week following a cheating scandal at the Indianapolis 500. Cindric drives the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, and is currently 12th in the points standings with three top-10 finishes in 12 races, including a win at Talladega. That victory was Team Penske's first of the 2025 NASCAR season. Still, given the family ties with Team Penske it raised some speculation about how his father's departure might impact the younger Cindric. Penske met with all of his NASCAR drivers in person in Charlotte following the moves, including Austin Cindric. When asked if he was given any assurances from Penske that it will not impact his future with Penske's NASCAR team, Cindric shook his head and said 'I don't think it was even in question.' 'Their support has always been very strong and also very transparent,' Cindric said following qualifying Saturday for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 'When I have not performed to my best we have had those conversations. But past that it's business as usual for me.' Tim Cindric was one of three executives fired by Penske after two Penske cars were found to be illegal following qualifying runs at the Indianapolis 500. Along with Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer were also terminated. 'Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,' Penske said in a statement. 'We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.' Penske owns three IndyCars, IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500. He has won the Indy 500 a record 20 times. Cindric called this the best start to his career and believes his team has plenty of momentum following the win at Talladega. Cindric said his father's firing won't impact how he approaches the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. 'Professionally, I'm in no different of a place than I was a week ago,' Cindric said. "I feel like we have a lot of momentum on our team right now in the the No. 2 car. I've never felt better and had a better start to the season. So for me I'm just focused on execution. I feel like we have had some really fast cars."
Hamilton Spectator
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Austin Cindric not concerned about future with Team Penske after his father was fired this week
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Austin Cindric is not worried about his future with Team Penske after his father Tim Cindric was fired by team owner Roger Penske as the team's IndyCar president earlier this week following a cheating scandal at the Indianapolis 500. Cindric drives the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, and is currently 12th in the points standings with three top-10 finishes in 12 races, including a win at Talladega . That victory was Team Penske's first of the 2025 NASCAR season. Still, given the family ties with Team Penske it raised some speculation about how his father's departure might impact the younger Cindric. Penske met with all of his NASCAR drivers in person in Charlotte following the moves, including Austin Cindric. When asked if he was given any assurances from Penske that it will not impact his future with Penske's NASCAR team, Cindric shook his head and said 'I don't think it was even in question.' 'Their support has always been very strong and also very transparent,' Cindric said following qualifying Saturday for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 'When I have not performed to my best we have had those conversations. But past that it's business as usual for me.' Tim Cindric was one of three executives fired by Penske after two Penske cars were found to be illegal following qualifying runs at the Indianapolis 500. Along with Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer were also terminated . 'Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,' Penske said in a statement. 'We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.' Penske owns three IndyCars, IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500. He has won the Indy 500 a record 20 times. Cindric called this the best start to his career and believes his team has plenty of momentum following the win at Talladega. Cindric said his father's firing won't impact how he approaches the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. 'Professionally, I'm in no different of a place than I was a week ago,' Cindric said. 'I feel like we have a lot of momentum on our team right now in the the No. 2 car. I've never felt better and had a better start to the season. So for me I'm just focused on execution. I feel like we have had some really fast cars.' ___ AP auto racing:
