Penske star Austin Cindric delivers his verdict on a horrid COTA qualifying result

Austin Cindric had a difficult qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), securing a disappointing 36th place on the grid for the upcoming EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Despite the poor result, Cindric remains focused on adapting to the track changes and understanding the new tire setup. He acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed confidence in his car’s potential in race trim.

Austin Cindric’s qualifying performance at COTA was one of the worst of his NASCAR Cup Series career. He will start near the back of the grid, only ahead of Cody Ware, who qualified in 37th place. The new layout and tire compound appear to have posed difficulties for the #2 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team. Following the session, Cindric addressed the situation, saying,

“We are learning the new layout and what that is going to demand out of the car. Learning the new tire as well. That is probably a larger piece than the layout, in my opinion. We have some work to do to this Discount Tire Ford Mustang. I thought we were pretty decent in race trim for tomorrow, to be honest.” (via Ford Performance Motorsports)

The changes to the COTA track, which reduced the layout from 3.41 miles to 2.3 miles, were expected to increase action and overtaking opportunities. However, in another interview, with Fox Sports journalist, Bob Pockrass, Austin Cindric explained that the introduction of a different road course tire had a bigger impact than the shortened track itself. In his own words,

“The course, I would say, is largely unchanged otherwise—we’re just cutting a few corners out. I think the larger conversation for us is the introduction of yet another road course tire, which is supposed to be similar to what we raced at Watkins Glen in the playoffs,” he explained. (via MSN)

After Sunday’s qualifying, the Focused Health 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race has now concluded with Connor Zilisch taking the win. This will be followed by the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race which will take place on March 2nd.

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What’s Next for Austin Cindric After the Atlanta Incident?

Austin Cindric’s struggles at COTA come just a week after a frustrating incident at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His race ended prematurely after a clash with Kyle Larson, adding to his tough start to the 2025 season. Reflecting on the Atlanta incident, Cindric revealed that he had deliberately restrained himself from saying too much about the situation.

“I felt like I could have said a lot more than I did,” he admitted. Despite his frustrations, he opted to handle the matter privately rather than airing grievances publicly. “I like to honestly keep that behind closed doors, so maybe if you felt like I spoke up, I felt like I was holding back. That tells you how upset I was with the situation.” (via Sportsrush)

The Team Penske driver acknowledged that such incidents are an inherent part of NASCAR. While losing a race due to another driver’s actions is frustrating, he understands that every competitor faces similar challenges. However, back-to-back DNFs at the start of the season made the situation particularly frustrating for him. Cindric also shared a look into his approach toward relationships with other drivers. He deliberately avoids staying in touch with competitors outside of racing, calling social interactions a ‘competitive distraction.’ Unlike some drivers who build friendships off the track, Austin Cindric prefers to keep his focus solely on racing.

“If we’re just competitors, and that’s the only relationship that exists, I feel like that’s a lot simpler for me,” he stated.

Despite the tough start to the season, Austin Cindric currently holds P4 in the standings, with 68 points to his name. He will be starting the NASCAR Cup Series’ COTA race from the 36th position this time, in the no. 2 Ford Mustang for Team Penske.