AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang — WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE TRACK ON SATURDAY AND BEATING THE OTHER GUYS? “It is a 200 lap race. There are 199 laps you can screw up and not put yourself in position on the most important one. With this format and with the way our races have gone over the last six weeks, I have been worried about points the entire time. Now I can just worry about where I finish. The stages are just time for me to drink water and get ready for another green flag run.”
HOW AGGRESSIVE DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE AMONG THE 4 COMPETITORS? “We have all watched the Xfinity races enough this year to know that we are going to be pretty aggressive as far as whether that is just packing air on each other or maybe some contact. I am not going to make any speculation but I am sure everyone will be giving 100 percent.”
AND YOU ARE WILLING TO BE AGGRESSIVE IF YOU HAVE TO? “I think I am not doing my job if I am not. I think you have to be fair. This is racing at a pretty high level and I think we are all professionals. I expect that out of my competitors, a professional level of racing. At the same time, I expect them to go for it.”
HAS THE DYNAMIC CHANGED AMONG YOU AND YOUR TEAM SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOU WOULD BE BACK WITH THE 22 TEAM IN XFINITY NEXT YEAR? “I don’t think the team dynamic has changed a whole lot. I think approaching this weekend, that is the number one goal, to make it to Phoenix. For everyone on the team, myself included, this is the most important weekend and opportunity in my life and racing career as well as pretty much every single member of the team. I think the only one excluded would be Presley who has a shot to win a Cup championship the next day. From that side of things the team is in a great spot. I have a lot of guys that are very confident in my abilities and I am confident in theirs. It has been a fun team dynamic to have.”
HAS THERE BEEN A DECISION ON WHAT CUP RACES YOU WILL RUN NEXT YEAR? “There have been some discussions within the team. I think the first thing to get out there was the Xfinity schedule and understanding what that looks like from a personell side and what is possible. I think where my desires lie is that I want as much of a variety as possible. I want to learn as much as I can, whether there is putting myself at some tough race tracks or be able to go have some success at others that I feel strongly about. Then when it comes to partners, what racetracks make sense for the partners we will be able to have on those races. I think there are a couple of variables there but my desire is to have a variety.”
SO YOU DON’T WANT TO JUST DO ALL ROAD COURSES? “There are only six of those and there are 30-plus races. I feel like I would be doing myself a disservice to not go out and learn something but also perform well at some of the other types of race track. Whether that is a mile-and-a-half track or short track. The thing I need to keep in mind for my development is understanding does that NextGen car really relate well to that 550 package and the big splitter and big drag and so-on. Those are all things we are still considering and trying to figure out. I want to do as many ovals as road courses. I will say that I am extremely excited that Road America has a Cup race on the Fourth of July weekend. I think everyone is going to really enjoy that.”
WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER THE 2020 SEASON FOR? “Well, there are a lot of things. The obvious within the industry but for our team it is that we did what we knew we have been capable of, whether that was halfway through last year or the start of 2019. For me as a driver, it has been gratifying to put that out there and not just feel that inside me but to also put that on paper. I think that has been an important part of this year and validating myself within the sport. On the flip side, it has been a little frustrating because I feel like there are a lot of races this year where we were either the best car and weren’t able to capitalize on it or had things out of our control put us out of position to win the race. I am very motivated for 2021 for those races in particular. When I say those races, I feel like there are quite a few. I am very excited to have an opportunity to go for it again. I think my team is excited for the same reasons. I am looking forward to having a shot this weekend as well as starting it all over again next year.”
DO YOU LOOK AT THIS RACE THIS WEEKEND AS YOU HAVE TO WIN THE RACE TO WIN THIS CHAMPIONSHIP? “Yeah. I think you have to approach Phoenix as a must-win situation. Just because the competitiveness this year has been off the charts. Also the unpredictability of who was going to be good on what day. I think that has been fun from a competitive side to try to figure out, but also anyone that has watched and enjoyed watching Xfinity races this year. I don’t think you can underestimate any of your competitors and you have to bring your best foot forward.”
CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH RESTARTS AT PHOENIX AND WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE THIS WEEKEND WITH THE CHOOSE RULE? “I think the choose rule definitely adds a small dynamic. I feel like for me the choose rule hasn’t been as effective. We go to a place like Martinsville and you figure there will be guys lined up on the bottom to make sure they won’t get lost in traffic but it really has been about if you can gain a row you take it. I don’t think that will play as big of a factor. I think depending on how the PJ1 comes in this weekend, that will play a role in what is the dominant lane. I think the other thing to consider is there are plenty of fast guys. Whether that is Harrison Burton who has won the last two races and has a shot to win pretty much most weeks. Guys like that and Brandon Jones, Ross Chastain that don’t have a shot to win the championship this weekend but are going to be racing aggressively to win the race. The restarts at Phoenix are always crazy to where we get six-wide on the apron trying to get track position. Inconsequentially, I think that could play a factor as far as the nature of the restarts at Phoenix.”
HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO BE RACED BY GUYS THAT ARE NOT CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS? “I have been in that position the last two years and I feel like I have been extremely respectful about the situations. That has been at Homestead, so that is something that I am just as interested about as well. I don’t expect to be given any breaks, but some respect definitely needs to be given in those situations as far as when it comes to racing people hard for a position that you probably don’t already have. That is the place where I feel like as competitors this year in the Xfinity Series we push that envelope pretty hard. I hope there is enough respect for everyone’s situation. If there is not, oh well. I can’t affect it.”
WHO ARE YOU HAVING WITH YOU AT THE TRACK THIS WEEKEND? “I can’t remember if they were able to go to Charlotte or not, but both of my parents will be at the race track. I am excited for that. My dad in general doesn’t usually get to watch me race very often but my mom comes to almost all my races and hasn’t been able to come to almost any this year. I am sure they are both excited for that opportunity as well as some of the leadership within our team. Some of the guys haven’t really seen a race since the Daytona 500 and now they have a shot to go watch on Saturday and Sunday and see their cars race for a championship. I am very excited about that opportunity and hopefully get to warm up the crowd there on Saturday and cheer the boys on on Sunday.”
WHY HAVE WE NOT SEEN A SCENARIO WITH THE CHOOSE RULE WHERE ALL BUT A COUPLE CARS CHOOSE ONE LINE? “I feel like that is a two-part answer I guess. One, I feel like the speeds of our race tracks are much higher than the speeds of the tracks that traditionally use the choose rule. Whether it be a quarter-mile Legends race or a ⅜ mile oval or whatever it may be. I feel like we are going a lot faster and have a lot more time to make up speed and aerodynamics play a huge role in that. Track position plays a huge role in that. If you can gain a row, that is track position. From that standpoint I feel like that is why it hasn’t been maybe as effective as maybe you would have hoped. On the flip side, at the back of the field it is really difficult to pick and choose and understand what is a gain and what isn’t a gain. I am sure there is probably more analysis on the Cup side when you have a top-20 that is extremely competitive. I feel like that is the hardest part about the choose rule, not when you are top-five or top-10 but when you are back top-15 or top-20.”
