RICHMOND, Va. — Austin Cindric called his Saturday showing at Richmond Raceway “a very important day for us to have a good day,” a nod to the well-timed nature of his season-best result. His postseason plight, plus a string of unwanted finishes, had created the critical need — one Cindric filled with head-turning effect.
A strong third-place run in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 gave Cindric and his No. 2 Team Penske group a boost in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, plus some extra buffer in his quest for a spot in the 16-driver Chase field. The outcome marked his first top-five finish since Darlington in March and snapped an 11-race skid without a top 10.
RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Richmond
That stretch included a 29th-place outing at Iowa Speedway, where his cushion and comfort relative to the postseason elimination line was narrowed. Cindric had entered Richmond as the final provisional driver into the Chase field — 16th with just a 29-point advantage. That cushion grew to 57 by night’s end with just two regular-season races remaining — New Hampshire next week and Daytona on Aug. 29.
Saturday’s reversal at Richmond was welcome, but with a hint that Cindric was left wanting.
“That’s what’s expected. I mean, this time of year, you’ve got to go, and honestly, the last month we haven’t done a whole lot of going,” Cindric said. “So I’m happy, but yeah, I still want more. I thought I had a car that could win tonight, and things that we could have done that were maybe a bit better, but overall, just proud of everybody on the 2 car team.”
Cindric had said entering Richmond that ticking each box on the team’s checklist and maximizing every factor in the races ahead would be pivotal. Saturday was the fulfillment of that vision.
Cindric’s No. 2 Ford powered through the field in the 70-lap opening stage, rising from the 23rd starting spot to a fourth-place result and a points payoff at the green-checkered flag. A Stage 2 pit stop represented one of the night’s few blips, when Cindric had to dodge the exiting No. 7 Chevrolet of Daniel Suárez as he entered his stall. He quickly made up the two positions lost, notching another fourth-place stage finish.
On a night when Joey Logano marched to his second victory of the year, Cindric maintained a steady presence among the top five, rounding out just behind his Team Penske teammate and runner-up Chase Briscoe at the checkered flag. No. 2 crew chief Brian Wilson lauded Cindric’s poise, but also took special note of the beneficial timing of the points boost.
“Yeah, it’s huge,” Wilson told NASCAR.com. “You know, you try to not focus on it. You try to just run your own race, but you’re always aware of what’s going on. So, throughout the race, you see where the other guys are at the cutline, and it’s good to put some points on the board, maybe a little bit of stress off. You’ve still got to go to Loudon. We’ve still got to have a great week there. So, I don’t know that you’re ever going to be relaxed going into Daytona, but you’ve got to stack as many points as you can these two weeks.”
Only Logano and Briscoe amassed more points than Cindric on a night when he desperately needed them. The conventional wisdom might also follow that Cindric would enjoy some increased confidence for the two regular-season races that lie next. Not so much, he said.
“Doesn’t change it in the slightest,” Cindric said. “I haven’t stopped believing in myself and this team. It’s a hard sport, a tough series, and I want this to be more often.”