Austin Cindric slapped with $50K fine by NASCAR following right-rear hook at COTA

NASCAR officials have fined Austin Cindric $50,000 and 50 points for turning into Ty Dillon during the Circuit of the Americas race. Last weekend, NASCAR started reviewing the incident that was part of the Team Penske driver’s retaliation.

On Lap 4 of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, the Kaulig Racing driver forced Cindric off the track shortly after a turn. The Team Penske driver retaliated by hooking Dillon’s right rear bumper, causing Dillon to spin into the wall.

This resulted in both the drivers unable to continue racing, with Cindric finishing in 25th place and Dillon in 28th. NASCAR Managing Director Brad Moran via Sportsnaut spoke on the incident:

“Yeah, unfortunately that happened early on in the race, so there was not a caution at that point for it,” Moran stated.

“But, we are going to go back, and that’s on our list today, so we’ll have a look at that and see if there was something there that we do not like, and if there is we’ll have to deal with it," he added.

NASCAR has fined the Team Penske driver $50,000 and has docked him 50 points according to acclaimed NASCAR journalist, Bob Pockrass. He tweeted:

"NASCAR docks Austin Cindric 50 points and fines him $50K for turning Ty Dillon at COTA."

This would come as a relief for Austin Cindric as a more dire indictment like a suspension would have affected his entire season. If he was found guilty enough to be suspended, his play off points would have been forfeited and he would have had to restart the postseason with a baseline of 2,000 points in the reset.

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“NASCAR has done it for me”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighs in on Austin Cindric incident

Weighing in on the incident, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed hope that NASCAR wouldn't penalize Cindric too harshly, drawing from his own experiences of being penalized during his racing career. In the latest Dale Download Jr. episode, he said:

"I hope NASCAR doesn't come down too hard on him. NASCAR has done this to me. They'll sit you down and they'll go, 'We like you. We don't want to do this. But we have to,'" Earnhardt Jr. shared.

"The waiver and all that nonsense. And here we are in a moment where we could learn how this all works out," he added.

He noted that if Cindric were suspended and later qualified for the playoffs, he would forfeit all playoff points and start the postseason with a baseline of 2,000 points. This aspect adds another layer of complexity to NASCAR's decision, as any penalty could significantly impact Cindric's playoff chances.

This should serve as a warning for Austin Cindric because if an incident like this recurs, it won't lead to just a fine and a few points docked.