EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix - Circuit of the Americas
Austin, Texas - March 2, 2025
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG
START: 36TH
STAGE 1: 24TH
STAGE 2: 33RD
FINISH: 25TH
POINTS: 11TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric finished 25th in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, the first road course event of the season. After a challenging qualifying session on Saturday, Cindric rolled off from the 36th position. Early in the race, the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang sustained slight damage following contact on Lap 4. By Lap 11, Cindric reported that his car was tight, and as varying pit strategies unfolded, he finished Stage 1 in 24th before heading to pit road for service. Struggling with rear grip, the No. 2 team made a four-tire stop with an air pressure adjustment and repairs to the splitter. Cindric restarted 33rd and later noted that the front of his car was beginning to fade. He returned to pit road with less than five laps remaining in Stage 2 and finished the segment in 33rd. Staying out during the stage break, Cindric restarted just outside the top 20 but continued to battle handling issues, requiring further adjustments. With just over 20 laps remaining in the 95-lap event, crew chief Brian Wilson called Cindric to pit road for fresh tires, fuel, additional air pressure and wedge adjustments. The No. 2 Ford cycled to 24th and gained momentum in the closing laps before ultimately crossing the line in 25th.
CINDRIC'S THOUGHTS: "It was a challenging weekend for the Discount Tire Ford Mustang, but the team did a great job staying focused and making adjustments throughout the race. We kept working to improve, but it just wasn't our weekend. We'll regroup and turn our attention to Phoenix."
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/DURACELL FORD MUSTANG
START: 25TH
STAGE 1: 25TH
STAGE 2: 2ND
FINISH: 19TH
POINTS: 2ND
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney came away with a 19th-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series' first road course event of the 2025 season Sunday at Circuit of the Americas. Despite starting 25th, the Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang gained 10 positions on the opening lap before Blaney dealt with a lack of rear grip late in the run, prompting at scheduled green flag stop with five laps remaining in Stage 1 in order to flip track position for the ensuing run. After restarting 20th for the 25-lap second stage, Blaney worked his way into the top-15 as crew chief Jonathan Hassler made the call to run out the segment without pitting, allowing the 2023 Cup Series champion to climb the leaderboard to a second-place finish in Stage 2. A four tire stop during the stage caution resulted in Blaney taking the restart from deep in the field, but the Menards/Duracell Ford worked its way back into the top-10 prior to the final caution of the afternoon with 18 laps to go. Blaney fought in and out of two and three-wide battles on the ensuing restart, ultimately resulting in a 19th-place finish.
BLANEY'S THOUGHTS: "Definitely not the way we wanted it to end up, but proud of this 12 group for staying with it all day and making this Menards/Duracell Ford better as the day went on. The strategy was there but just didn't have the finish to show for it. We're looking forward to getting back to Phoenix next week."
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG
START: 23RD
STAGE 1: 2ND
STAGE 2: 30TH
FINISH: 24TH
POINTS: 13TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano took the checkered flag 24th in Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas - the first of six road course events on the 2025 Cup Series schedule. After starting 23rd, Logano fought a loose-handling condition during the opening run as the 22 team was one of six teams to not pit prior to the stage end, resulting in a second-place finish in Stage 1. Following a four tire stop and a round of adjustments during the stage caution, Logano lined up 28th to take the green flag for the second segment and struggled to gain track position over the course of the run, prompting him to come down pit road with three laps to go in Stage 2 in order to flip track position prior to the start of the final run of the 95-lap event. After the final caution of the afternoon came out with 18 laps to go, Logano took the restart from 11th and raced his way back inside the top-10 as the field came back to the line with 10 to go. The Shell-Pennzoil Mustang was on the receiving end of contact stemming from two and three-wide battles in the closing laps, ultimately relegating Logano to a 24th-place finish.
LOGANO'S THOUGHTS: "It was a challenging day overall. Fortunately we were able to pick up stage points early on and it felt like we were going to be able to compete for a top-10 but anything can happen at the end of these road course races and we were on the wrong side of that today."
The NASCAR Cup Series continues west to Phoenix, Arizona next week for the Shriners Children's 500. Coverage of the 312 lap event on Sunday, March 9 begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1 with in-car camera angles available all race long through MAX Driver Cam.