Following NASCAR’s 2025 edition of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) race, the Austin Cindric penalty remains a hot topic in the racing world. Kyle Busch once again grabbed the mic, and in true “Rowdy” fashion, the Richard Childress Racing driver held nothing back.
Drawing parallels to his own experiences, Busch suggested that penalties might differ based on a driver’s last name. He then criticized NASCAR’s inconsistent approach, saying officials treat each wreck as unique. And for that, Busch has the perfect solution.
Kyle Busch Proposes Simple Fix for NASCAR To Ensure Consistency
Ahead of the race in Phoenix, Busch doubled down on his stance that Cindric got off easy after the incident at COTA. While NASCAR officials claimed they evaluate each wreck individually, Busch feels that shouldn’t be the case.
For him, intent matters more than the outcome, and that should be the deciding factor for penalties. To fix it, Busch believes NASCAR should establish a clear rule.
“Put it in the rulebook — a right hook will result in a one-race suspension. Period,” Busch said via Bob Pockrass on X.
Kyle Busch on Austin Cindric not being suspended: "Put it in the rulebook: A right hook will result in one-race suspension. Period." @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/7QV9UvYCyk
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 8, 2025
Busch isn’t just speaking from theory — he’s lived it.
Known as one of the most aggressive drivers on the grid, Busch has thrown his fair share of right hooks. His first offense was overlooked, but his second earned him a one-race suspension.
The next time? Busch was sidelined for two races.
Even Bubba Wallace and several other drivers have faced suspensions for similar actions. However, Cindric, 26, walked away with minimal repercussions.
Busch believes that’s no coincidence. According to him, Cindric avoided harsher punishment because of who his father is within the Team Penske organization.
Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23Xl Racing, chimed in on the conversation, but his words weren’t as harsh as Rowdy’s. Sharing the RCR driver’s belief to a certain extent, Hamlin said that it is the intent that should be penalized rather than the outcome.
Believing that “a foul is a foul,” Hamlin feels a line should be drawn just there, rather than NASCAR considering each incident as an individual occurrence.
Meanwhile, Ty Dillon, the driver Cindric hooked in COTA, has also lashed out at the race authorities over their leniency. While he felt the penalty was “somewhat justified,” the inconsistency didn’t sit well with Dillon. And according to the Kaulig Racing driver, that’s where NASCAR “gets itself into a little bit of trouble.”
"I was expecting a one-race suspension, but I'm glad they did something."@tydillon reacts to penalty assessed to @AustinCindric's intentional wreck last week at COTA.
📹: @dannypeters pic.twitter.com/dJ9IHD7sqr
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) March 8, 2025
