Austin Cindric pulled off a thrilling surprise win at the NASCAR Cup series race on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway. The unexpected victory came when his teammate, Ryan Blaney, ran out of gas while leading on the final lap.
Ryan Blaney, the reigning NASCAR Cup series champion, looked poised for his first win of the season after a fierce battle with Christopher Bell. Bell had his own car troubles in the closing laps, paving the way for Cindric.
Cindric, who pitted just one lap after Blaney, seized the opportunity and claimed his second career victory. His first win was at the 2022 Daytona 500. "It felt like my first win all over again," Cindric shared. "It's been so long. I nearly fell over in Victory Lane just from the excitement."
In a race full of dramatic turns, Denny Hamlin secured second place, marking his sixth straight top-5 finish. Brad Keselowski took third, followed by Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano. Cindric didn't realize Blaney had run out of gas until he reached Victory Lane. "I mean, it’s not like I went out there and took the lead away, but we were in position, and this is one of our best-executed races so far this year with probably our best speed,” Cindric said.
Here are some key highlights:
- Bell led 80 of the 240 laps but faced motor issues late in the race. He ended up seventh, with a little help from teammate Martin Truex Jr. on the straightaways.
- Pole sitter Michael McDowell led the initial 40 laps before Bell took the lead.
- The Penske team’s strategy to keep all three cars out at the start of Stage 3 was crucial. They coordinated during the week but kept their final pit stop strategies close to the vest.
Bell, the winner of the previous week's rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600, dominated much of the race but reported motor issues to his crew after briefly overtaking Blaney. "I have no idea what happened," Bell said. "Some sort of motor issue. I’m just glad we salvaged something out of it. But you don’t get race cars like that very often, and whenever you do, you need to take advantage of them.”
The three Penske cars – Cindric, Blaney, and Logano – did not pit during the break between the second and third stages, positioning themselves for Team Penske’s first win of the year. “It’s been miserable in our shop lately. We expect to win,” said Logano, a two-time series champion. “When you’re fighting for 20th, it’s quite the kick in the you-know-what.”
Blaney and Bell's duel for the lead was intense, with Bell briefly squeezing ahead before his motor issues emerged. Despite Blaney's disappointment, he remained positive: “Just one lap short,” Blaney said. “Really happy with our showing today. I just don’t know what I’ve got to do to get some luck on our side.”
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