Austin Cindric doubles down on his “pride” with Team Penske crew after Bristol playoff race

Austin Cindric didn’t necessarily have the finish he wanted at Bristol Motor Speedway during the Bass Pro Shops Night race. However, thanks to his Team Penske crew’s razor-sharp preparation, he’s still very much alive in the NASCAR playoffs going into the Round of 12.

The driver came into the short-track race with an 11-point cushion above the cutline to the Round of 12. This buffer gave him some breathing room at a track that is unforgiving and unpredictable. What mattered most, though, was how his team responded once the unexpected occurred; the tire wear after the track cooled was more than anticipated.

While many drivers panicked over grumbling tires and fading grip, Cindric’s team stayed calm and composed. Cindric appreciated his team and had all the praise for them, which he shared after the race.

"I think preparation and the process with our group is second to none, and I take a lot of pride in that. So, yeah, just proud of the total team effort to be able to bring this into the next round." Austin Cindric said via FanBuzz.

Spotter Doug Campbell played a key role during the race, quietly alerting Cindric about which competitors were losing grip, helping him manage his pace and not get drawn into dangerous battles.

Despite qualifying third, leading laps early, and then dropping back due to the issues, Cindric still made it into the next round. He finished 30th, but remained proud of his crew's preparation, anticipation, and what they pulled off under pressure.

"We had triggers" Austin Cindric reflects on tire struggles during the race in Bristol

Austin Cindric's race in Bristol might not have been the best of his performances this season, but with the help of his team, he has somehow kept his playoff hopes alive. While several other drivers struggled with the issue of tire degradation, the No. 2 team developed little warning signals, the “triggers”, that saved the day.

Austin Cindric spoke about how his car handled and how his team managed with the tire degradation that was persistent during the race, playing a key role in the race result.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that we were prepared on the car side like we were expecting that to happen today, but we had triggers that we were definitely keying off of with the chance of the cool temperatures, and I just chose to be prepared." Austin Cindric said via FanBuzz.

When the cool temperatures drove down grip, the No. 2 Team Penske crew realized early that tire wear wasn't going to behave like it did during practice. The plan kicked into high gear. Even though they hadn’t fully expected the degree of wear, they had pre-defined triggers, points in the race where certain signs would prompt action.

Austin Cindric finds himself ranked ninth in the Cup Series rankings as the Round of 12 starts this week. He will next be in action in New Hampshire.