“I was going to wait until I saw a color other than smoky grey”: Austin Cindric opens up on surviving ‘‘something tragic’ at Bristol 

The last spot in the Round of 12 came down to a close battle between Team Penske driver Austin Cindric and Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman during the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 13, 2025. However, both drivers faced significant challenges before Cindric progressed to the next round of the playoffs.

The Team Penske driver had a fast car for the 500-lap race and qualified among the top five drivers on the grid. Cindric qualified third with a best time of 15.12 seconds and a top speed of 126.80 mph. Meanwhile, Kaulig Racing driver AJ Allmendinger took the pole position with a 0.01-second difference.

Despite having a good start, Austin Cindric faced a horrific incident during the Bristol Race. With 50 laps to go in the 500-lap race, the #2 Ford Mustang caught fire under the right front and was forced to enter the pits.

Cindric remained inside the car while the team and safety officials put out the fire. He was then sent out on the track to secure his spot in the next round of the playoffs. Reflecting on the incident, Cindric told the media:

“I was going to wait until I saw a color other than smoky grey. As crazy as it sounds, we were fortunate the [No.] 21 had the same problem because I think the lesson learned there was to try to minimize the laps run. The moment I smelled something, I said something and confirmed it. We pitted, and the guys were ready. It was really well executed for something that tragic." [via Racer.com]

Austin Cindric entered the weekend with a 15-point lead over Alex Bowman for the last spot to advance to the Round of 12. Despite finishing eighth in the 500-lap race, it was not enough for Bowman to beat Cindric in the points and advance.

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"That's, we need one in the middle of something": Austin Cindric admired the change in the 2026 Cup Series schedule

In August 2025, ahead of the 2025 postseason, Austin Cindric sat down with SpeedFreaks for an interview. During the interaction, Cindric praised NASCAR's decision to add two off weeks during the 2026 regular season.

The governing body announced that the inaugural race of the 2026 Cup Series season, The Clash, will be held at Bowman Gray Stadium. The first points-paying race, the 'Great American' race, the Daytona 500, is scheduled for February 15, 2026.

Following the 2026 Cup Series season, the governing body decided to add the first off-week ahead of the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The second week is scheduled for August 2026 ahead of the Iowa Speedway race. Reflecting on the same, Austin Cindric appreciated NASCAR's efforts and told the media:

"Number one is two off weeks. That's, we need one in the middle of something. You think about it, we've been racing since Easter, which I love. I love that, but god, it is a grind for everybody involved. And you know, a lot of people that I work with, all our families, and you know, those things are, you know, very important to have a little bit of that time off. So, I think that's big for the whole industry to have that."

The first race of the Round of 12, the Mobil 1 301, is scheduled for September 21, 2025, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Ahead of the 301-lap race, Cindric sits one point below the cutoff line.