Cindric In Must-Win Situation Entering ROVAL Battle

Austin Cindric needs a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday to advance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. (HHP/Jacy Norgaard photo)

CONCORD, N.C. – Team Penske and Austin Cindric have made their expectations clear entering Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL: no matter what happens, they must win.

Cindric’s back is against the wall headed into the Round of 12 cutoff race, sitting 11th and 29 points below the transfer spot to advance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

His charge through the second half of the season, which began with a win at Illinois’ World Wide Technology Raceway in June is in jeopardy if he doesn’t find victory lane on Sunday, and Cindric knows it.

“It’s a cutoff race. We have to go to Charlotte with the mindset of winning the race, which simplifies things in a lot of ways. It certainly simplifies strategy thoughts and preparation for the race,” he said. “It’s not the situation you want to be in, but it’s something we’re certainly prepared to go after and fight for.”

The 26-year-old is coming off of two weeks of bittersweet misfortunate. In the Round of 12 opener two weeks ago at Kansas Speedway, Cindric finished 34th due to a back straightaway self-spin during stage two while running 13th.

Then last Sunday in Alabama, he led a Talladega Cup Series career high of 29 laps, but was spun while battling for the lead due to a bad push by fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski.

Cindric went from possibly having a points cushion entering the Charlotte ROVAL weekend – if not a locked-in spot via a win – to now having to find a way to climb out of a major playoff hole.

“You just have to move past it. Talladega was a lot more in my hands; I’m not saying a win was in hand, but a really good finish and really good points were seemingly in our grasp. It definitely changed the outlook for this weekend and the results for our season,” Cindric noted.

“It obviously stings [to lose the race]. Kansas was a lot more my fault, which I can process how to deal with and be better. But the opportunity lost at Talladega was a bit more difficult to deal with, and that’s kind of all part of it.

“If I had a point for every time I’ve said, “That’s the way it is or that’s the way she goes,” over the last three days, I’d probably be above the cut line right now.”

Now the Mooresville, N.C., native must continue to move past it. A 109-lap dogfight around a 17-turn, 2.28-mile course lays ahead. Since its addition to the NASCAR schedule in 2018, the ROVAL has made a name for itself as far as spoiling playoff hopes.

That may prove even more true this weekend. In the last few months, officials at Charlotte Motor Speedway made modifications to the track’s configuration in turns six and 16. Built to create new passing zones, it’s a new challenge that drivers and teams will have to navigate with their playoff fates looming.

Between the infield turns of corners five and six, the piece of track has been elongated into a high-speed mini straightaway. Turn seven, where cars come back into the 1.5-mile oval’s banking, is now a hair-pin left-hander.

Additionally, on the front straightaway, the turn 16 chicane is now sharper. The left turn into the crease is now more centered towards pit road, forcing drivers to be harder on the brakes to make the chicane.

What passing opportunities and new levels of aggression come from the changes will be explored throughout the race.

“I think both changes are going to change your approach from a driving standpoint, from the race and the flow of the race. The frontstretch chicane is tightening up the radius of the first apex to finish each lap,” said Cindric.

“I haven’t done any laps on the racetrack. I’ve done some on the Ford simulator, but I definitely see the possibility of more likely missing the corner,” he added. “It takes away your runoff room and the ability to make a mistake and just cut the curb.”

Cindric believes cars striking the curbing on Sunday will be a lot more aggressive than in years prior.

“You’re essentially making the curb more perpendicular to the track than it already is, so the approach angle is going to be a lot different.

“What does that do to the left lane? Does it make that even more extreme? Does it equal out both lanes? That’s definitely something we’ll be looking for throughout the weekend.”

With Cindric having to win, his prior road course history does help when competing with the likes of Daniel Suarez and Chase Briscoe. That pair is down 20 and 26 points to the cut line, respectively, and also in virtual must-win situations.

In Cindric’s career on the ROVAL, he has three top three finishes on the Xfinity Series side with Team Penske. However, in two prior Cup Series starts with the organization, he hasn’t had a top-20 finish at the ROVAL.

But anything could happen in these wild card events, and Sunday is poised to reflect that theme with the new track changes.

The goal remains simple for Cindric, though.

“When you are 29 points back, I think you just put your best foot forward and go for a win.”

Coverage of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 begins Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.