Every driver in the Cup Series has his friends and foes on the field. But not Austin Cindric. For the Team Penske drivers, they are all the same, and he chooses not to be close friends with any of them. He maintains this balance not only because he is an introvert but also because it helps him view them simply as competitors who need to be defeated.
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Following his missed opportunities to win races in Daytona and Atlanta, Cindric spoke to reporters this week. He revealed that he did not carry any of his competitors’ phone numbers and reasoned that getting to know them outside the race track was a “competitive distraction” for him. That said, he does have a good relationship with his teammates.
He pointed out how he does not speak to others during the driver introductions and waits for the race to start. He added, “That’s kind of the only thing that really matters to me because, at the end of the day, I think it’s just easier for me to separate it all. If we’re just competitors, and that’s the only relationship that exists, I feel like that’s a lot simpler for me.”
Cindric currently sits fourth in the points table. In Daytona, he almost won before getting caught in a wreck in the final lap. The same thing happened in Atlanta. Kyle Larson forced him into the wall in the finishing laps and wrecked his No. 2 Ford Mustang. Following this incident, he had to get the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s number.
Why did Cindric ignore his principles and add Larson to his phone book?
Cindric had approached Hendrick Motorsports executives Jeff Andrews and Chad Knaus following the race in Atlanta. He gave them one of his business cards with a simple message to Larson: Call me. He explained to the reporters that he thought it was better to have a conversation rather than just show up on the race track.
They did end up speaking to each other on Monday, and Larson acknowledged his mistake. Cindric said, “Kyle took responsibility for the end of the race, which obviously ended our race, and kind of talking about it doesn’t really unwreck my race car. But I think we’re on the same page as what the expectations are moving forward racing together.”
There is still a long way to go this season. Learning his lessons from the first two race weekends, he is prepared to dive into the upcoming race at the Circuit of the Americas. The 2022 Daytona 500 champion is out for the kill this year. Hopefully, he won’t have to collect more phone numbers in the weeks ahead.
