Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Kansas Speedway
Race: Kansas Lottery 300
Date: October 23, 2021
No. 22 Odyssey Battery Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 2nd
Stage 1: 3rd
Stage 2: 1st – 11th stage win of 2021
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 151
Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+0)
Notes:
- Austin Cindric started second, won the second stage and finished second in Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway in the No. 22 Odyssey Battery Ford Mustang. Cindric scored 18 stage points and sits 47 points above the cutline to advance to the Championship 4 race as the NASCAR XFINITY Series heads for Martinsville Speedway next week for the penultimate event of the 2021 season. The second-place finish marked the 20th top-five result of the season for the No. 22 team as they chase their second consecutive NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship.
- After starting from the second position, Cindric claimed the lead on the 10th lap of the race with the No. 22 Odyssey Battery Mustang, immediately asking spotter Coleman Pressley to help him manage his gap to second place. A restart with eight laps remaining in Stage 1 would see Cindric shuffled back to the third position when the green-checkered was displayed. A quick four-tire stop would send the No. 22 Ford back off pit road in the race lead to start the second stage.
- Cindric led the second stage wire-to-wire, collecting 10 points for the stage win, his 11th of the 2021 NASCAR XFINITY Series season. Under the stage caution, Cindric reported he might have lost a little turn in the No. 22 Odyssey Battery Ford Mustang, but overall had no complaints with the handling. Under the caution, the team added tape to the nose.
- Through the opening 30 laps of the final stage, Cindric reported the Odyssey Battery Mustang had taken a step to the loose side but was able to maintain the lead until a caution flag at lap 135 setup the teams to return to pit road. Another caution flag would bring Cindric back down pit road for a four tire stop at lap 156 with the team making another air pressure adjustment, bolting on their final set of sticker Goodyear Racing Eagles. Cindric restarted 11th and climbed to seventh before another caution at lap 160.
- Cindric would reclaim the lead at lap 167 and was immediately reminded to conserve his tires for the end of the race. With 11 laps remaining, Cindric was passed for the race lead by eventual race winner Ty Gibbs but powered through to a second-place finish a career best at Kansas Speedway. Cindric led a race high 151 laps.
Quote: “It was a great points day in our Odyssey Battery Ford Mustang. I really would have loved to lock our way in and race for a win at Martinsville, that would be huge for us. Congrats to the 54, Ty (Gibbs). That whole team has been on it no matter who is in the car. They have earned it. It sucks to lose one that late in the race. Not the first time, but I didn’t spontaneously crash in the playoff Kansas race this time, so it is okay I guess. I hate losing but we will move on. In the bigger picture, it was a good day.”
