Austin Cindric frustrated but looking forward in fast start to 2025

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Austin Cindric is off to the best start to a season he’s ever had in his NASCAR Cup Series career.

Through two races, he has started second in each race and led more laps (106) than he ever did in two different seasons (2022: 86; 2023: 33)

Cindric went to victory lane in his Daytona Duel, earning 10 bonus points that has boosted him to fourth in points.

What he doesn’t have is a win in a points race. That’s not from a lack of effort. It’s been a lack of luck.

On the final lap of the Daytona 500, Cindric raced Denny Hamlin for the win to see who could become the first repeat winner of the 500 in five years. A bad spotter call in Cole Custer’s ear wrecked that battle.

With a handful of laps to go Sunday at Atlanta, Cindric had a run to the outside of Kyle Larson exiting turn two. Larson kept his foot to the floor, running Cindric into the wall and sending him spinning into William Byron, Larson’s teammate.

Cindric expressed some lingering frustration Wednesday when he detailed the tactful approach he took to talking to Larson.

“I can’t say I was really in a good headspace to want to talk to anyone but knowing I wanted to talk with Kyle, if someone walked up to me, I’d give them my phone number,” he said. “Then, I realized I had a stack of business cards from when I was 16. I saw Jeff Andrews and Chad Knaus and I gave them a business card. I don’t have a super close relationship with Kyle so it was my way of saying we need to talk, in a way that was non-emotional.”

Larson reached out.

“Kyle connected and he took responsibility. It doesn’t unwreck my racecar but it’s about all I can influence is talking about it. I know if I want to win in this series, I’m going to have to race against him and expect it to be better than Sunday,” Cindric said.

Cindric, Larson and the NASCAR Cup Series field head to Circuit of the Americas. COTA will present a different layout than usual but the focus for Cindric and his team is the tire compound.

Goodyear is bringing a tire to COTA that promises more tire falloff. After the Bristol race last spring that was well-received because of higher tire wear, NASCAR has worked with Goodyear to produce a softer tire for road courses and short tracks with racing that has received lukewarm reception from fans.

More tire falloff means a higher chance of drivers making mistakes. There is also more variability in who is good early in the run vs. later in the run. All of that is intended to make passing easier and the race more competitive.

“Tire management is the biggest variable going into the race weekend. We haven’t really had much tire or lap falloff before at COTA. This tire, to my knowledge, hasn’t been on the racetrack before so it’s new to everyone,” Cindric said.

Cindric said track position will still be important even if comers and goers are more of a factor.

“Track position is always important at road courses, especially COTA. How you exit turn one sets up the field for the rest of the race. The esses are like a slalom course for the cars. Qualifying will be exceptionally important, understanding the tires will be exceptionally important,” he said.

Cindric’s average finish on road courses in the Next Gen era ranks in the top-5. This weekend is a big opportunity for him but the true measure of his team’s performance doesn’t come for another couple of weeks, he believes.

“Phoenix is an evolution to see what we could try and our team has a great notebook there. Phoenix and Vegas are two very good reads on where your program is at,” Cindric said.

MORE: NASCAR at COTA odds, entry lists and more info for 2025