NASCAR opted not to suspend Cindric, citing lower speeds and the fact that the incident didn’t cause a caution.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β NASCAR Cup Series driver Austin Cindric was docked 50 points and fined $50,000 for intentionally crashing another driver during last Sunday’s race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, NASCAR announced Wednesday.Β
Cindric’s fine stems from a run-in with Ty Dillon early in the race. Cindric spun Dillon’s No. 10, sending him for a spin on the frontstretch. The move was a big talking point in NASCAR media circles this week, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast. It’s unclear if Cindric or Mooresville-based Team Penske will appeal the penalty. The penalty drops Cindric from 11th in the standings to 34th.Β
NASCAR stopped short of suspending Cindric, something it’s done for similar incidents at high-speed ovals, including Chase Elliott at Charlotte in 2023 and Bubba Wallace at Las Vegas in 2022. NASCAR officials said the decision to not suspend Cindric was due to the lower speeds of a road course and because the incident didn’t result in a caution flag.Β
NASCAR also suspended two pit crew members after Kyle Larson’s No. 5 lost the right front wheel during the race. Jackman Brandon Johnson and tire changer Blaine Anderson will miss the next two races as part of the safety violation. Larson was penalized two laps for the infraction and ultimately finished 32nd.Β
Hendrick will reportedly replace those crew members with Eric Ludwig and Jafar Hall, who previously worked with Spire Motorsports.Β
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