Austin Cindric’s title hopes fade after massive Talladega crash

Austin Cindric was set to presumably change the playoff image in an enormous manner at Talladega earlier than being caught up within the ‘Massive One’ on Lap 183. After profitable the second stage, he was in charge of the race as the ultimate 5 laps obtained underway. He had two Fords lined up immediately behind him, hoping to lock himself into the Spherical of 8 with a victory. It was robust place for the motive force of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford.

Had he completed it, followers would have seen a little bit of déjà vu as he entered this race final among the many remaining 12 playoff drivers — Sammy Smith was in an identical position during Saturday’s Xfinity race before capturing the checkered flag and vaulting himself into the Round of 8.

That very same ending didn’t come to cross for Cindric, who as a substitute discovered himself spinning in entrance of the sphere, changing into the epicenter for the largest crash in NASCAR Cup Sequence historical past. Fortunately, nobody went airborne, which NASCAR hoped for after making three adjustments to maintain automobiles on the bottom forward of the race weekend.

Whereas NBC asserted that it was a file 28-car pileup, the official NASCAR outcomes present 23 automobiles concerned together with, a number of playoff drivers. Whereas broken, a lot of the title challengers had been capable of proceed. Seven automobiles weren’t capable of proceed, and amongst them had been Cindric and his Penske teammate Joey Logano. Each go away this race under the playoff cut-line with Logano 13 factors out and Cindric 29 factors out. 

“Clearly, extremely pissed off,” Cindric stated after being launched from the infield care heart. “We had an amazing shot to win the race and simply actually happy with my workforce … We obtained that stage win and put ourselves in place to have one other shot.”

After seeing the replay of the unhealthy bump that despatched him spinning, Cindric determined to chunk his tongue. “I do not know. I do not really feel like complaining. I am too pissed off and it will not do something. Simply happy with the workforce. Introduced some actual quick race automobiles.”

The race featured intense four-wide racing with Cindric calling it “a few of the craziest stuff I’ve ever been part of.”

He credited his workforce for ‘A+ execution’ and bringing a quick automotive to the monitor, however in the long run, luck merely wasn’t on his aspect. Now, his path ahead within the playoffs is obvious. “It places us in a must-win state of affairs for the Charlotte Highway Course,” concluded Cindric. “We’ve introduced some exceptionally quick race automobiles each single race of the playoffs and I can’t understate how proud I’m of my race workforce and we’ll should convey one other one subsequent week.”

A full checklist of automobiles concerned within the wreck, per NASCAR: Nos. 45, 48, 34, 17, 9, 13, 2, 21, 22, 42, 14, 23, 10, 99, 51, 4, 38, 62, 71, 19, 16, 20, 43.