NASCAR official defends Austin Cindric’s 50-point and $50,000 penalty despite the ‘popular call’: “The punishment wouldn’t have fit the crime” 

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, NASCAR penalized Team Penske star driver Austin Cindric for intentionally wrecking Ty Dillon in last Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Recently, during 'The NASCAR Hauler Talk' podcast, Managing Director of Racing Communication, Mike Forde, defended the decision.

On lap 4, Cindric battled Dillon for the lead and retaliated on the frontstretch. He made contact with the right rear of the #10 Chevy and spun out Dillon. The governing body classified the incident as the Team Penske driver intentionally wrecking the #10 Chevy and penalized him under Sections 4.4 B&D: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct Penalty Options and Guidelines. NASCAR slammed him with a 50-point deduction and a $50,000 penalty.

During the episode, Mike Forde defended the sanctioning body's decision:

"I hit social media after this penalty is announced; my guess is that there is going to be several people who feel this is the wrong call. and it may not be the popular call, but when we look at penalties, we do not really care how popular we are. We try to do the right thing here, and what we felt was the right thing was this penalty."

"We felt that if we suspended him, the punishment wouldn't fit the crime; it was probably going to be too severe our punishment. So we felt the right thing to do was hit his wallet, hit his points, wallet, and find him $50,000.50 Driver points," he added.

NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck also expressed frustration over penalizing Austin Cindric for the wreck. He mentioned that uniquely officiating every incident makes it tougher to understand the calls.

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Kyle Busch's reaction to Team Penske driver Austin Cindric's penalty

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch showcased his vexation at Team Penske driver Austin Cindric getting away from a suspension. The Richard Childress driver recalled Cindric's incident in 2023, involving Ty Dillon's brother at the WWT Raceway.

"I think intent is intent. I do not agree with the call there. I don't care where it is—Daytona, Martinsville, Watkins Glen—and it's not his first time either. He got off with that one," Kyle Busch stated. (via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

The #8 Chevy Camaro ZL1 driver led the majority of laps (42) at the COTA race on March 2, 2025. However, his former teammate Christopher Bell won in the final bout of the nail-biting event. Meanwhile, Busch finished the race in fifth position.

With a 50-point deduction, Austin Cindric dropped significantly from 11th to 34th in the Cup Series driver's standings. However, Cindric was not the only one penalized. Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson will start the next race without jackman Brandon Johnson and front tire changer Blaine Anderson. The team members have been suspended for two races after a safety violation penalty noted in Sections 8.8.10.4.A&C: Tires and Wheels of the NASCAR Rule Book.