Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series — Pocono Green 225
Pocono Raceway | Sunday, June 27, 2021
FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st — Austin Cindric
17th — Ryan Sieg
35th — Riley Herbst
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Car Shop Ford Mustang — VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW
“You have to be good at everything and that is what this team has proven throughout the year. I am just the one that gets to drive these Ford Mustangs. I am excited about it. I had to execute in every facet and we had everything thrown at us today. I am super proud of this Car Shop Ford Mustang team. Everybody who partners up with us. To finally get one here. Ever since I have been racing ARCA it feels like this one always gets away, so I am really excited.”
THE FINAL STRETCH THERE, THE LONG GREEN-FLAG RUN. YOU SEE THAT BLACK CAR COMING., WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? “We gave him a chance didn’t we? We had to make it exciting I guess. I didn’t want it but I guess everybody else did. We will take it and we will take the trophy for sure.”
RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang (Retired on Lap 47 Due to Accident)
“Everybody is on different tires and pit strategy. I felt like we had a decent Ford Mustang driving back up through the field. I cleared one of the backmarkers and he decided to drive it all the way back into my outside through the tunnel and I didn’t know he was there. I cleared him down Long Pond. It is a frustrating do for sure and hurts us in points and everything. Hopefully, we can go get really good points and Road America next week
POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Car Shop Ford Mustang — FINISHED 1st
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN THE 66 RAN OUT OF FUEL RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? “I thought he was going to run the apron but then he didn’t have the capacity to do so. That was almost the worst-case scenario to be honest. I was trying to manage the lead and my temps and the gap. We just had enough. I felt like lap traffic was fairly respectful to us. All in all I can’t do too much complaining. Circumstances are circumstances and if he would have been 50 yards ahead it would have been a big deal. It all works out and makes a more exciting race. It made me tense up a little more, but that is racing.”
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN TY GIBBS WAS TRYING TO GET AT YOU THERE AT THE END? “Well, that is certainly his job. He got gifted a three-second buffer and it is his job to do something with it. I think he did everything he could. I think he ran a great race. I feel like our strategy was a little better. We were fairly even matched all day in clean air. I just tried to manage my stuff and my gap and it worked out for us.”
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE PIT STRATEGY, COMING IN WHEN YOU DID IN THAT STAGE SO THAT WHEN THINGS CYCLED YOU WOULD BE OUT FRONT? “It was total execution. That is on the pit crew and that is on Brian and that is on me getting good restarts. Starting 13th, it really opened up our strategy. Making our way inside the top-five under green, I feel like everyone executed really well today and made the strategy possible. I am really proud of the effort. The pit crew guys did a great job today. Those guys are improving every week and I am proud of them and proud of Brian and this whole 22 team for bringing such a fast race car.”
LAST YEAR IN THIS RACE YOU HAD A SUPER-FAST CAR AND GOT WRECKED OUT. TO WIN THIS YEAR, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS ANY REDEMPTION? “Absolutely. This is one of several racetracks that I feel like from last year it was probably one I was looking forward to the most right off the bad, getting to go for another Xfinity championship to come back to places like Pocono and Bristol and so on. We had some get away from us that were out of our control. That is racing. There are plenty of guys that can say that. When you can come back and accomplish your goals, some that have a little bit of emotion behind them, it is pretty fun.”
YOU HAVE 14 MORE PLAYOFF POINTS THAN YOUR NEXT CLOSEST COMPETITOR, HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT? ALSO, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GOING TO ROAD AMERICA NEXT WEEKEND? “It is important and I want more. Greedy as always as a race car driver. Road America, I am so excited about. If I wasn’t driving that weekend I would be going. I think that part of the country has such a passion for short track racing and a Cup race has been absent from that part of the country, that and Road America is an awesome place and awesome race track. I am doing double duty there. My brake foot is going to be worn out but I don’t really care. It is going to be a lot of fun and hopefully we can have some strong runs.”
