Roger Penske’s NASCAR Driver Defends Playoffs With Shocking Super Bowl Comparison

NASCAR’s latest playoff race left a few drivers at huge risks. Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry are all below the playoff cutline, in descending order. Dillon’s lone Richmond victory, SVG’s four road course wins, Bowman’s winless year, and Berry’s old Las Vegas win cannot protect them in the postseason. Yet each one of them can flip their losing narrative with a victory, and that is what enthralls Roger Penske’s star, Austin Cindric.

The No. 2 Ford driver won at Talladega Superspeedway in the regular season, keeping up his drafting track genius. Presently, Austin Cindric has a 12-point cushion over the cutline, needing a remarkable rebound at Bristol. But the excitement of the playoff format does not skip his admiration.

Roger Penske’s driver compares NASCAR to the NFL

After Joey Logano won the 2024 Cup Series championship while being 17th in points, a hot debate has rocked the NASCAR community. Swathes of fans and drivers alike demand a return to the old full-season points format, which rewarded drivers on a more meritorious basis. Presently, even the highest winning driver can easily get knocked out due to a petty mistake during the playoffs. But while the risk and the pressure are high, so is the excitement. Austin Cindric has been the first-ballot choice for elimination from the Round of 16. But Roger Penske’s dark horse may surprise us like before. In 2022, Cindric outlasted heavyweights like Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick into the Round of 12. In 2024 as well, Cindric had a 43-point advantage in Bristol.

These past experiences have led Austin Cindric to have faith in the playoff format. What is more, he brought out a comparison to the NFL, a sport that the Team Penske driver follows. Although he loves watching the Kansas City Chiefs win, he would not mind a wildcard opponent. He said in a recent ‘Door, Bumper, Clear’ episode: “As someone who likes football…If the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t win the Super Bowl as the best team in the league, with the best quarterback in the league, with the best record in the regular season, does that make it a bad year? I bet most people who are tired of watching the Kansas City Chiefs win would gladly see somebody beat them at the Super Bowl.”

Nevertheless, Roger Penske’s star placed a demand on NASCAR to help people understand the format more. The raging debates and controversies could be put on hold if only the benefits were visible. Cindric said, “I think the playoff format is exciting for those who understand it. And I think that if there are any changes in the future that are to be made, it has to be, first and foremost, simplifying, in order for more to understand and appreciate. Because otherwise, it’s difficult to add more incentives and more items into the fold that a top ten provisional in points or something…you gotta stop right there, because you’re gonna lose people’s interest because it’s gonna be really confusing.” 

Currently, Alex Bowman is 35 points below the cutline, a strong choice for elimination. That is why Austin Cindric used his example to defend the playoffs more: “Going into Bristol this weekend, Alex Bowman could go win. And right now, he’s out. That’s exciting, that’s a moment.”

While Cindric rolls out words of defence for NASCAR, he is exploring a different sport.

Rolling up his sleeves to hold a different wheel

Two of Roger Penske‘s drivers own titles – Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. Austin Cindric, their teammate, may not have a Cup Series championship, but he has versatile experience. Cindric had tested a Gen2 Supercar in Australia. He also competed in the Bathurst 12 Hours back in 2015. He even considered Supercars as a legitimate career path for himself before becoming a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver. Now, Cindric is preparing to return to Supercars to start the Adelaide Grand Final. In doing so, he will become the first American to take part in a Supercars race since the 2019 season. Back then, former Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi contested the Bathurst 1000.

Austin Cindric expressed his enthusiasm in a Saturday press conference ahead of the Cup race in St. Louis. He said, “It’s been about 10 years since I’ve been down to Australia to go race…It’s really cool to see it all come full circle. Obviously, I wouldn’t be able to do it without the help and connection from Ford, with all the guys at Tickford. And kind of just piecing things together to see if it is all possible. And then kind of go through the paperwork of how do I get approved and this and that? But all in all, it’s going to be a super fun adventure.”

While expanding his experience in a diverse motorsports arena, Austin Cindric is heavily focused in NASCAR. Let us wait and see if the playoff format will do him good.

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