Drama, action, and plenty of controversy. It seems like the race at the Circuit of the Americas had it all. The road course’s new configuration lived up to the expectations of fans, giving them plenty of talking points after the checkered flag was waved. From the first lap-spun Christopher Bell winning the cup to Kyle Busch’s close brush with victory to finish fifth, things at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix kept the fans hooked! To add to it, one of the most notable incidents was a Lap 4 incident between Team Penske’s driver and Richard Childress’ grandson, prompting fans to urge NASCAR to take action.
Tempers were flaring at COTA, especially during an early confrontation between Ty Dillon and Austin Cindric. Could the No. 2 Ford driver’s retaliation at the road course lead to a possible suspension for Roger Penske’s racing driver? Time will tell.
Austin Cindric gets instant payback after being shoved by Dillon
Austin Cindric had a point to prove. The Team Penske driver’s hopes of winning the 2025 AmBetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway were derailed last week after Kyle Larson drove him into the outer wall at the 1.54-mile oval, forcing him to retire early. Determined to make amends this time around, the No. 2 Ford was desperate to make up grid positions at the start after qualifying in 36th place. However, what followed was an early confrontation with Ty Dillon in Lap 4.
Fighting for track positions, Ty Dillon was seen shoving Austin Cindric off the course during a turn, which resulted in both drivers trading paint. However, the move didn’t go down well with the Team Penske driver, who went on to right-rear hook the No. 10 Chevy, spinning out the Kaulig Racing driver. Infuriated at the move, Dillon was heard saying on the team radio, “I’m not gonna say anything but you know what I’m thinking. That was some absolute bulls–t.”
What followed was even more surprising, as the deliberate hook was completely ignored by NASCAR officials. Even though the sanctioning body has been heavily policing aggressive driving off late, there was no comment on Ty Dillon being spun wildly on the track. Reflecting on the incident, The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck couldn’t help but tweet, “Wow, both the replay and the Austin Cindric in-car do not look good. He got forced off the track by Ty Dillon and then appears to have right-rear hooked him. Nothing was said on the radio about it. That’s going to get reviewed this week for sure.”
Yeah… pic.twitter.com/32szlUCqSH
— American Autosport (@americanautospo) March 2, 2025
While being shoved off the track was far from a pleasant feeling for Cindric, the 26-year-old was expected to have more composure despite being provoked. The season hasn’t begun on the best note for the Team Penske driver, who has finished 25th or higher in the last two races. The fixture at COTA was expected to be the turning point, as the driver has finished inside the top 10 on the road course in his last two appearances. However, if NASCAR does find him guilty in the post-race review, his 25th-place finish could get a lot worse.
NASCAR fans want Cindric to be held accountable
Unsurprisingly, NASCAR fans didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts on the Austin Cindric- Ty Dillon incident. Many felt that the move was ‘dangerous’ and were surprised by the sanctioning body’s lack of action following the Lap 4 spin. Reflecting on the Team Penske driver escaping the incident with no repercussions, a fan cynically wrote on X, “If NASCAR is consistent(which they never are), they will suspend him for next week.” Echoing that sentiment, another motorsports enthusiast questioned the sanctioning body’s apathy, going on to write, “That is supposed to result in a 1 race suspension isn’t it?”
Usually, NASCAR allows its drivers to regulate their actions unless they cross the line by a long way. Believing that the intentional nature of the right-rear hook demanded action from the sports’ hierarchy, an X user said, “No penalty to Cindric for rough driving? That looked extremely intentional.” After the 2024 Cup Series campaign ended, the sanctioning body reiterated its commitment to driver safety, evolving its policies to curb aggressive racing in the sport. However, a fan wants the sport to put money where their mouth is by saying, “NASCAR better back up all that offseason talk with a suspension.”
Considering that Austin Cindric’s actions were a retaliation to being shoved outside the track, a fan felt that there was no need for a post-race ‘review’ to take place since the move was deliberate and needed to be policed. Urging the sport to hold all its drivers accountable equally, the X user couldn’t help but write, “Consistency from Nascar on this should mean he sits out next week. Not sure what there is to review, it’s quite obviously an intentional right-rear hook to the back of Ty’s car.”
The post Calls Mount For Team Penske Star’s Suspension After Intentionally Wrecking Richard Childress’ Grandson appeared first on EssentiallySports.
