Cindric to attempt Daytona 500 with Penske
Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric will attempt the Daytona 500, Team Penske confirmed Wednesday.
Cindric will drive a No. 33 Ford Mustang as he attempts to qualify for the 500. Miles Stanley, who has served as race engineer for Penske’s No. 12 and No. 22 Cup Series teams, will serve as crew chief for Cindric.
“There is a lot to be excited about heading into Daytona,” said Cindric. “It doesn’t really even need to be said that the Daytona 500 is the biggest crown jewel race in NASCAR and one of the biggest races in the world – so to have a shot to be in the show while driving for Roger Penske is a big opportunity.
“Qualifying our way into the race as an ‘open’ car will be a big challenge. I look forward to working with Miles and all of the guys on the No. 33 team, while also continuing my focus on winning back-to-back Xfinity Series Championships.”
Cindric and Stanley will attempt to make the 500 and other starts in 2021 that are yet TBA.
Cindric will also drive his championship-winning No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season.
With Cindric’s entry into the Daytona 500, there are now 44 entries for the 500, with eight open cars vying for four spots in the race.
SOURCES:
NASCAR
Racing-Reference.Info
Team Penske
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com