Austin Cindric Beats Most Playoff Drivers In Second Straight 10th-Place Finish
3 weeks agoAustin Cindric backed up his 10th-place finish at Atlanta with another at Watkins Glen on Sunday, placing him three points behind Christopher Bell for the playoff points lead. Although two 10th-place finishes would normally be nowhere near the points lead, he had the great fortune that most of the other playoff contenders either crashed or made strategy gambles that cost them better finishes. Although he ran in the top 10 for the entirety of Stage 1, his decision to go for stage points cost him track position and he spent the entirety of Stage 2 in the middle of the pack, but he made a significant charge and benefited from attrition, including the two late wrecks, to sneak into the top 10 on the final restart. While it initially seemed like he was likely going to be eliminated, now Cindric advancing to the Round of 12 seems like a near certainty.
Source: Racing Reference
Source: Racing Reference