INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
RACE: VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD DATE: AUGUST 13, 2023
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG
START: 20TH STAGE ONE: 27TH STAGE TWO: 15TH FINISH: 15TH POINTS: 22ND
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric crossed the storied bricks in the 15th position Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the checkered flag waved on the 82-lap event. Sporting the Discount Tire colors, Cindric qualified his No. 2 Ford Mustang in the 20th position for his third NASCAR Cup Series start on the famed facility’s road course layout. Gaining a position in the opening lap, the Team Penske driver remained steady in the first Stage, taking his first trip to pit road on Lap 15 for four fresh tires and fuel from the top 15. With no Stage breaks at road courses, the field charged on and Cindric eventually settled back into the 15th position. Just prior to Lap 40, the 2022 NCS Rookie of the Year reported that the car was fairly stabilized, but he just needed a little help with turn. Crew Chief Jeremy Bullins called the driver to pit road for a scheduled stop on Lap 48 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Cindric marched on over the final stint, ultimately recording a 15th-place finish at the Racing Capital of the World in the Discount Tire Ford Mustang.
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Decent progress today with our Discount Tire Ford Mustang. Felt like we leveled out, called a great race – just didn’t have quite enough to get into the top 10 there. Pretty physical race. I mean, going all green like that on a pretty warm day. It was good. Makes you feel like you exercise and prepare for a reason. I’m not content with it, but I think we maximized our day fairly well.”
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/ATLAS FORD MUSTANG
START: 16TH STAGE ONE: 26TH STAGE TWO: 16TH FINISH: 13TH POINTS: 9TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney fought for a 13th-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course following 82 laps behind the wheel of the No. 12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang. Blaney was quick to gain positions in the race’s opening laps, propelling himself to a race-high 12th by lap 11. The No. 12 crew focused their sights on long-term gain, and Blaney was one of the first drivers called for a green-flag stop right before the first Stage end on lap 14. Four tires and fuel refreshed Blaney for the the next 20-lap segment, and he continued mid pack, navigating through the 14-turns of the road course with little to no grip. The end of the second Stage quickly drew near and Blaney fought hard for position; unfortunately, a battle for the 14th-place spot resulted in front-end damage to the No. 12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang. Still, the second scheduled green-flag pit-stop with 35 laps remaining in the event allowed Blaney and the team time to reset and regain spots on the course. The No. 12 ultimately posted times that rivaled the leaders and propelled Blaney to a 13th-place result.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It was a hard-fought day. Never gave up. We knew we had some work to do following our qualifying effort Saturday, and we just kept trying to chip away at it. It’s a tough course. Appreciate the No. 12 Menards/Atlas crew for sticking in it until the end.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG
START: 18TH STAGE ONE: 34TH STAGE TWO: 33RD FINISH: 34TH POINTS: 13TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team were forced to a 34th-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course following a chaotic start to the 82-lap event set in the Racing Capital of the World. Logano took the green flag from the 18th position, taking his first lap across the bricks directly ahead of teammate Austin Cindric. The field stayed close together as drivers navigated the opening turns of the nearly 2.5-mile course, leaving limited space for advancement. The tight quarters forced Logano to drive deep into the corner and ultimately over a curb that sent him into another competitor and thwarted his efforts for forward movement. A handful of laps later in another attempt to propel ahead of the competition, Logano entered a narrow turn 1 with stronger momentum than those ahead of him, causing a collision and significant front-end damage to the Shell-Pennzoil machine. The No. 22 was able to continue on, yet track conditions stayed green for the remainder of the event, providing little opportunity for repairs and advancement as the laps ticked. Logano was ultimately relegated one lap down as he fought his car’s condition. He would have to settle for 34th when the checkered flag flew.
WHAT’S NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 20 for the Go Bowling at the Glen. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. E.T. on USA, MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
