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Penske Team’s Controversy Continues: Austin Cindric’s NASCAR Penalty Sparks Debate Over Inconsistent Rulings

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 9, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Penske Team’s Controversy Continues: Austin Cindric’s NASCAR Penalty Sparks Debate Over Inconsistent Rulings

Mar 2, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Austin Cindric (2) during the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Harms-Imagn Images

In the world of motorsports, controversy is no stranger. Recently, the spotlight has been turned on Roger Penske and his team, Team Penske, following a series of contentious incidents. The most recent involves Austin Cindric, one of Penske’s rising stars in the NASCAR Cup Series, who stirred up a storm after a contentious move on fellow competitor, Ty Dillon.

In a notable incident last year, Team Penske was embroiled in a scandal involving the illegal use of a push-to-pass feature during an IndyCar season opener. Despite the clear breach of rules, Penske refrained from taking any significant action against his team, a decision that infuriated motorsport veteran, Michael Andretti. He questioned whether Penske’s considerable influence in the motorsport world had allowed his team to evade more severe penalties.

Fast forward to the current NASCAR season, and it appears that Penske’s team is once again at the center of controversy. During a race at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Cindric was caught blatantly right-rear hooking Ty Dillon, a move that has historically attracted severe penalties. However, NASCAR’s response was relatively mild. A 50-point deduction and a $50,000 fine were handed to Cindric, but he was not suspended.

This lenient punishment ignited a firestorm of criticism from fans and fellow drivers, with many accusing NASCAR of favoritism. Cindric’s response to the backlash was to play the ‘victim’ card, claiming that his actions were a result of emotional turmoil and the many adversities he faced at the start of the season.

However, his lack of accountability did not sit well with many. Cindric’s comments seemed to focus more on moving past the controversy than acknowledging the severity of his actions. His attempt to shift the narrative was further mired by his performance at the Daytona 500, where he finished in eighth place – a position he could have improved if not for a multi-car wreck.

Cindric’s controversial COTA incident is not an isolated issue but part of a broader narrative involving NASCAR’s inconsistent approach to penalties. Notably, in previous seasons, drivers Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace both received one-race suspensions for similar incidents that were deemed intentional and dangerous. Yet, Cindric’s dangerous move, which could have resulted in a significant accident, was treated with a lighter hand by NASCAR, sparking widespread criticism.

One outspoken critic of NASCAR’s inconsistent penalties is Kyle Busch from Richard Childress Racing. He has long been vocal about the need for clear rules to prevent favoritism. Busch believes that any intentional right-rear hook should result in an automatic one-race suspension, a rule that he feels would eliminate bias and controversy.

NASCAR, in its defense, argues that each incident is unique and needs to be judged on its individual circumstances. But this reasoning does not convince Busch and many others, who believe that the lack of clear standards leaves too much room for bias and controversy.

As it stands, Austin Cindric and Team Penske escape with a mere slap on the wrist, while many in the motorsport community continue to demand for a change in the rules. The question remains: Is this another case of Roger Penske’s team getting off lightly, or is Cindric justified in seeing himself as the victim? Only time, and perhaps a rule change, will tell.

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