Dale Earnhardt Jr. has joined the criticism of NASCAR’s decision not to suspend Austin Cindric for deliberately spinning Ty Dillon at Circuit of the Americas. Cindric, a Team Penske driver, was fined $50,000 and docked 50 points but avoided a race suspension—a punishment some say is lenient compared to past penalties for similar actions.
The incident, described as a “right-hook” maneuver, reignited debates about NASCAR’s inconsistent penalties. Earnhardt Jr. discussed the ruling on his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast, questioning its logic, while drivers like Kyle Busch criticized the sport’s lack of consistency.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Slams ‘Confusing’ NASCAR Ruling
Cindric’s collision with Dillon happened early in the race at COTA, sending the No. 10 car into the wall. NASCAR penalized him under Section 4.4.B, but officials cited “lower speeds” and the absence of a caution flag as reasons not to issue a suspension. Earnhardt Jr. disagreed.
“What’s the point of the penalty?” he said. “They feel like, in their words, it wasn’t that severe because other cars didn’t run into them. So because they were going slower, because there wasn’t a big crash, it didn’t cause a yellow. That’s the way NASCAR views these things. I don’t agree with it.”
The Hall of Famer compared Cindric’s penalty to suspensions given to Bubba Wallace in 2022 and Chase Elliott in 2023 for intentional wrecks at high-speed ovals.
NASCAR’s managing director of racing communications, Mike Forde, defended the decision, saying, “We take every situation and violation as a unique incident. While we do refer to past instances for guidance, each incident is distinctly different.” However, critics pointed to Cindric’s history, including a similar incident with Austin Dillon, Ty’s brother, at WWT Raceway in 2023.
Kyle Busch, Fans Decry Double Standard in Penalties
Kyle Busch, who led 42 laps at COTA before finishing fifth, called NASCAR’s decision indefensible. “I think intent is intent. I don’t care where it is—Daytona, Martinsville, Watkins Glen,” he said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “It’s not his first time either. He got off with that one.”
Fans echoed Busch’s frustration online, accusing NASCAR of favoring Cindric, whose father, Tim Cindric, is Team Penske’s president. Others pointed to NASCAR’s new waiver rule, which allows playoff eligibility even after missing races. A suspension would have likely taken Cindric out of postseason contention.
Earnhardt Jr. dismissed the idea that the waiver rule influenced NASCAR’s decision but acknowledged how it looks. “The waiver and all that nonsense, and here we are, in a moment where we could learn how this all works out,” he said.
Should Austin Cindric get penalized for right-hooking Ty Dillon? ↪️😬
📺 https://t.co/1rIgE2RIHL@DaleJr | @Tjmajors pic.twitter.com/1GicJU4MZn
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 4, 2025
Meanwhile, Ty Dillon called for stricter accountability. “He wrecked me intentionally, just like Chase, Denny, and Bubba’s incidents. He should be suspended next week,” he said.
The penalty dropped Cindric from 11th to 34th in the standings, but he remains playoff eligible.
For now, NASCAR’s decision raises a key question: If this happens again, will context still outweigh consequences? As debates continue, the sport’s penalty system remains under scrutiny—and drivers like Earnhardt Jr. aren’t staying quiet.
