Ten years back, 16-year-old Austin Cindric walked into Daytona for his first race at the iconic venue. He was a part of the field to drive in the Michelin Pilot Challenge with Multimatic in a Ford Mustang. Now a 26-year-old with an arsenal of Cup Series experience under his belt, he is set to drive with similar equipment in the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
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Cindric’s love for endurance racing hasn’t diminished during this period. It has only grown to accommodate the larger dream of racing in the prestigious Le Mans someday. He told RACER magazine in a recent interview, “It’s important for someone like me because I want to do Le Mans one day. The year that it fits on the schedule, I promise you I’ll do whatever it takes to get there.”
His words prove that he will be taking the upcoming Rolex 24 very seriously. The opportunity to be a part of the event came up to him after the team’s originally slated driver, Ben Barker, broke his collarbone in a skiing accident. Cindric hopes to fit into the fold to the best of his ability and is strongly committed to the cause.
He added, “I’ve done this race enough times, I have enough experience where I definitely feel like I will be an asset to this team. I’ll be the one-off, so I’m excited to get to work and see where I fit into that fold. But, yeah, it’s an important race for me.” Cindric has been a part of five Rolex 24 entries previously.
Some exciting news to start 2025!@FordPerformance / @Multimatic / @IMSA / @Rolex24Hours pic.twitter.com/7CWVXpT5mH
— Austin Cindric (@AustinCindric) January 6, 2025
He drove a Lexus GT3 twice, a Mercedes AMG once, and a prototype car in the LMP2 class twice during his earlier appearances. His team has finished as high as fifth in class. In the upcoming race, he will be driving alongside Mike Rockenfeller and Seb Priaulx.
Why are stock car drivers showing an increased interest in the Rolex 24?
The number of NASCAR drivers interested in driving in the Rolex 24 keeps increasing every year. Notably, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch will be on the field this time as well. Cindric was asked what the reason for this spike in interest could be. He said, “Now with LMDh machinery, it’s really kind of boomed a new era.”
“I think that’s been really exciting to see a lot of the continued interest in the series, because it’s a great series.” LMDh is a race class created by IMSA and Le Mans ACO. It uses a rear-axle-mounted hybrid system and is governed by the ruleset that was introduced in 2020. The system brought in standardized parts and made it more attractive for teams to race in the Rolex 24.
The famed event is set to go live later this month on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 1:30 pm ET. Broadcast partners such as Peacock, NBC Sports, and IMSA TV will broadcast the race in real-time.
