Austin Cindric’s Talladega Triumph: Austin Cindric won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, ending a 30-race winless streak. Driving the No. 2 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, Cindric also became the first Penske driver to secure a 2025 playoff spot with the win.
A Victory with Double Meaning
Cindric’s win was not just important for his playoff hopes. It was also the 200th NASCAR Cup Series Points win for Roush Yates Engines. This made the victory even more memorable for the team and its engine supplier.
Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines, shared their celebration plans. He said the company is setting up a heritage center. It will honor the win with a special display featuring Cindric and the wreath he wore after the race.
Yates Shares Special Plans for the Milestone
“We’re putting together a little heritage center for Robbie Yates racing and Roush Yates,” Doug Yates said during a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview. “And in that will be something special for this 200th win and a picture of Austin with a wreath.”
He added, “Austin’s a fun guy… You guys probably saw that. And that was kind of cool.”
Yates also said they may collect all the race flags from the win. “We’re trying to decide what to do with the flag,” he said. “We’re going to probably get all the flags from that race from NASCAR to capture that moment.”
He also remembered Talladega’s place in his family’s racing story. “My dad’s (Robert Yates) had a lot of success at Talladega… first win with Davey Allison, first win as a car owner, last win as a car owner.”
🏁 @roushyates Engines had won at @TALLADEGA 16 times before Sunday.
CEO @Yates_Doug thought it was all the more fitting that win No. 200 for the
organization came there 🔽Full Interview → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/EnYejJYhOY
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) April 30, 2025
Cindric’s Road to the Win
This is Cindric’s first Cup Series win of the season and the second of his career. He has been with Team Penske for eight years and is in his fourth season in the Cup Series. He won the 2020 Xfinity Series title before moving up.
After the win, Cindric now has 219 points and sits 14th in the standings. The victory comes after a tough start to the season, including a fine and point loss after an incident with Ty Dillon at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Ty Dillon sends Austin Cindric off-course coming out of the final corner and Cindric retaliates. pic.twitter.com/sjUeSWW9sH
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) March 2, 2025
During the COTA race, Dillon bumped into Cindric’s car. Cindric responded by hooking Dillon’s car into the wall. Officials fined him $50,000 and docked 50 points, pushing him from 11th to 34th in the standings.
Eyes Now on the Würth 400
Cindric is set to race again in the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 4. The 267-lap race will air on Fox Sports 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Fans can also listen live on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Cindric is now in a strong spot for the 2025 season. His recent win brings confidence and momentum. It also shows that with hard work and the right team, a comeback is always possible in racing.
News in Brief: Austin Cindric’s Talladega Triumph
Austin Cindric won the Talladega race, ending a 30-race winless streak and marking Roush Yates Engines’ 200th points win. The team plans to honor the moment with a special display. Cindric is now playoff-bound and races next at Texas Motor Speedway in the Würth 400 on May 4.
ALSO READ: Austin Cindric Claps Back at Critics With Smug Statement as Team Penske Redefines the Game
