Why NASCAR treated Austin Cindric differently in offence Bubba Wallace got suspended for? All you need to know

Team Penske driver Austin Cindric avoided a one-race suspension for right-hooking Ty Dillon at Circuit of the Americas and walked away with a $50,000 fine and a 50-point penalty. The incident drew scrutiny as it was the first major incident under the new waiver rules introduced for the 2025 season.

On Lap 4, Cindric was battling Dillon when he retaliated on the frontstretch, making contact with the right rear of the #10 Chevy. The impact sent Dillon spinning. The incident was classified as Cindric intentionally wrecking another car under Sections 4.4 B&D: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct Penalty Options and Guidelines.

Right-rear hooks have previously resulted in one-race suspensions, with Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliott each receiving a ban for similar moves. Under the new waiver rules, a suspended driver must forfeit all playoff points and can only begin accumulating them in the postseason.

The #2 Penske driver didn't receive a suspension, as NASCAR felt the circumstances were significantly different from past incidents that warranted a race ban. In a recent episode of Hauler Talk, NASCAR's Mike Forde explained that factors such as low speeds, tight confines, and the absence of caution influenced the decision to allow Cindric to race at Phoenix.

"In this case, we did feel it was significantly different than the previous two. And the reasons are, you look at it, it is at a road course (with) lower speed, tight confines to begin with and the result didn’t even draw a caution. Now, obviously, the caution flag doesn’t come out as quickly on road courses anyway, but that did not draw a caution. So, those were really the reasons why we chose to err on the side of letting him race this weekend in Phoenix," Forde mentioned [via Kelly Crandall on X]

In previous instances, Carson Hocevar avoided suspension after right-hooking Harrison Burton under caution last year, and Noah Gragson also wasn't suspended for a similar move in a 2022 Xfinity race.

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NASCAR Insider expresses frustration with Austin Cindric's penalty

In the recent episode of Hauler Talk, Forde explained that NASCAR evaluates each incident uniquely. He acknowledged the cry for consistent calls but insisted that every wreck is different and must be officiated accordingly.

Many fans were left uncertain about how similar incidents would be treated. NASCAR Insider Jeff Gluck echoed their frustration, writing that viewers need clarity on the outcome of a right-rear hook when they see one in a race.

"I’ll close with this for now: I just want to know the rules. Like when we see an incident happen, we all know what the outcome will be — on and off track. NASCAR feels every incident is unique and should be officiated based on that, but it makes it tougher to understand calls," Gluck wrote on X.

With the 50-point deduction, Cindric dropped from 11th to 34th in the Cup Series standings. The #2 Penske driver will return to action at Phoenix Raceway this weekend.