NASCAR has penalized Austin Cindric for his controversial maneuver during the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Cindric was fined $50,000 and lost 50 points for deliberately right-rear hooking Ty Dillon on Lap 4 of Sunday’s race. However, he avoided suspension.
Although NASCAR had the option to suspend Cindric, several factors likely influenced the decision not to. The incident occurred on a road course, where speeds are lower, and it caused minimal damage—so little that no caution flag was even thrown. These circumstances likely led to a lesser penalty.
Dillon was furious over the incident, believing it was retaliatory. He may also be unhappy that Cindric did not receive a harsher punishment. However, Cindric might argue that Dillon instigated the situation by forcing him off the track moments earlier.
Cindric finished 25th in the race, while Dillon placed 28th. With the points deduction, Cindric’s ranking dropped significantly, falling from 11th to 34th in the standings.
