“Cup Racing Is Hard”: Austin Cindric Gives Honest Assessment of NASCAR Career After High Expectations

Race wins come very frequently to some drivers but for others, it’s like a rare golden ticket to the promised land. Austin Cindric is one of the latter and the Team Penske star recently acknowledged the challenges he faces in the NASCAR Cup Series. Cindric made one of the most memorable Cup Series debuts of all time when he won his very first Daytona 500 (2022) as a full-timer. However, since then, it has been a struggle.

By all accounts, he has not lived up to the standards he set when he won ‘The Great American Race’ but to not win a single race? The driver of the #2 car is racing for a team that has won the championship in the last two seasons with separate drivers. So why is Cindric struggling so much?

“Cup racing is hard to win. It’s very hard to win and it should be. We talk about the storylines are this is as hard as it gets, these are the best drivers and the best teams and you have to be perfect in a lot of areas to be able to give yourself a shot at winning races.”

“I feel we’ve had a shot to win some races since…it’s frustrating cause you know how rare those opportunities are. Even after winning the 500, I very much recognize how rare it is to find yourself in that position, let alone bring it home,” the Team Penske driver said in a recent interview on Beating and Banging.

2024 has been no different for Cindric as he still hunts for his first race win since the 2022 Daytona 500. However, there is a lot to be positive about and that elusive second win may not be too far.

Austin Cindric hopes to do good on Team Penske’s faith

The team plays a big role in building up a driver’s confidence and Roger Penske‘s organization is doing its bit for the driver of the #2 car. These efforts, as per Cindric, are encouraging and motivational, and now the onus will be on him to repay the team’s faith. Given the talent in the Cup Series today, that’s going to be one hell of an uphill task.

“I’ve been very proud of the effort thus far. Kind of just trusting the process and not being afraid to fail in some instances,” he said. “I’ve been way more encouraged by what my team has shown me and what I’ve been able to step up on my own side of things. So, I’m encouraged but not satisfied. That’s for sure.” 

Will Austin Cindric finally break his winless run this year and make it through to the playoffs with a race win? For his and Team Penske’s sake, they hope he will.