NASCAR AT POCONO: Austin Cindric trying to overcome slow start to season

It was a rough start to the NASCAR Cup Series season for Austin Cindric.

Two crashes and finishes of 26th or worse in the first four races put the driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford behind and forced him to play catchup.

"Definitely some downs, some ups and a few more downs. The ebbs and flows of a season in some respects I guess," Cindric said. "I don't think there's been many weeks where we've had consistent speed. Been involved in a ton of wrecks to start the year and not been able to complete races the way they should be."

Four top-10 finishes in the next eight races had Cindric headed in the right direction. However, he crashed and finished 38th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, then was 26th at Nashville. He bounced back last week at Michigan by finishing 11th.

Now, he heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend for The Great American Getaway 400 presented by Visit PA.

"The month prior was very productive for us. Definitely not discouraged by any means," Cindric said.

"I'm a big believer in the law of averages. I'm hoping we averaged out. The last few weeks are definitely not what the doctor ordered for us to continue to move forward."

Pocono is a place where Cindric believes things can turn around for him. He enjoys coming to the 2.5-mile triangular track in Long Pond and the challenge its unique layout presents.

"Track position is super important, restarts are crazy and strategy is all over the board," Cindric said. "It's a unique challenge with all three corners and trying to string everything together. It's also a fun weekend. Campgrounds are always packed there and the track definitely does a great job. That area deserves a great show."

Which corner to attack, Cindric said, depends on the day, the driver and the scenario.

"For a lap time, being able to keep momentum up and being able to rip through Turn 3, a slower, flatter corner on the race track," Cindric said. "Then you get in the race and you're opportunities to pass are probably more about staying close in the tunnel turn and being able to bomb it into Turn 1. I think your priorities change depending on what portion of the weekend you're at. That's what makes the track so difficult."

Cindric has run a variety of series at Pocono - ARCA, Trucks, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Cup. He won the then-Xfinity Series there in June 2021.

"I feel like that's a place where I should have more than one of these things," Cindric said, referring to track's iconic bald eagle trophy that sits on the desk in his office. "We had a dominant racecar there in 2020 and felt like we let one slip away in getting behind in a wreck with some cars that were off strategy. It's always been a fun track for me in those cars and one I looked forward to on the schedule for that reason. Definitely looking forward to going back and a win in the Cup car."

In four Cup starts there, his best finish is a 10th, which came last year.

Currently, Cindric is 16th in the Cup Series standings. That is right at the cutoff to qualify for "The Chase" for the championship postseason over the final 10 races. NASCAR returned to that format this year. No longer is it win-and-you're-in. Full-season consistency is rewarded.

This is race No. 16, meaning Cindric has 11 races to try to stay above the cutline and climb in the standings. He is three points ahead of Penske teammate Joey Logano, 15 ahead of Erik Jones and 16 in front of Ryan Preece.

Already, Cindric is in a bit of a playoff mode.

"Don't get wrecked. That's been somewhat difficult for us to avoid at times this year. That's number one," he said. "Number two, points are super important. When we have them in hand, it becomes increasingly important. They're at a premium right now for us. No reason that's going to change throughout the stretch for us."

Practice for The Great American Getaway 400 is Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. with qualifying to follow at 2:10 p.m. The 160-lap race is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.

It is part of a tripleheader weekend at Pocono that begins Friday at 3 p.m. with the ARCA Menards Series Sunset Hills Shooting Range 150. On Saturday, practice for the Millertech Battery 250 Presented by KOA is at 10:30 a.m. followed by qualifying at 11:35 a.m. The 100-lap race then gets the green flag at 4 p.m.

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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 8:04 PM.