Wednesday was a busy day in the NASCAR world, with several major headlines breaking. One of the biggest stories was NASCAR’s decision to penalize Austin Cindric for his actions at Circuit of the Americas last weekend. However, officials chose not to suspend the Team Penske driver. Kyle Busch, reflecting on the incident, believes Cindric got off easy.
During the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Ty Dillon pushed Cindric off the track on Lap 4, which didn’t sit well with Cindric. The Team Penske driver retaliated by hooking Dillon’s right rear, sending him spinning into the wall. While neither driver suffered race-ending damage, race control still took note of Cindric’s actions.
Kyle Busch Says NASCAR Was Lenient on Austin Cindric
Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Busch recalled the Cindric-Dillon incident and said Cindric was lucky to escape without harsher consequences. The 26-year-old received a $50,000 fine and a 50-point deduction, but Busch said Cindric “got off with that one.”
“I think intent is intent. I do not agree with the call here. I don’t care where it is—Daytona, Martinsville, Watkins Glen—and it’s not his first time either. He got off with that one.”
Kyle Busch responding on Sirius to Cindric penalty.
"I think intent is intent. I do not agree with the call there. I don't care where it is — Daytona, Martinsville, Watkins Glen and it's not his first time either. He got off with that one."
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) March 5, 2025
While Busch thought the penalty was too light, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the opposite stance. He argued that a 50-point deduction was harsher than a one-race suspension, considering what’s at stake. From a numbers standpoint, his argument makes sense.
However, Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, downplayed Earnhardt’s take, adding a driver’s perspective to the debate. Kraft said that every driver he knows would gladly give up $50,000 and 50 points if it meant they wouldn’t have to sit out a race.
With the penalty, Cindric drops from 11th to 35th in the standings. But he wasn’t the only one hit with a penalty. Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson will be without jackman Brandon Johnson and front tire changer Blaine Anderson for his next race.
In addition, NASCAR handed two-race suspensions to members of Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team for a safety violation, per the NASCAR rule book.
