To say that the 2022 NASCAR Cup
season was an eventful one for Austin
Cindric would be an understatement.
It began in impressive fashion at the
Daytona 500. Making making only his
eighth Cup start, the new driver of the
No. 2 Penske Ford ran with the leaders
most of the day and led the final eight
laps, before holding off Bubba Wallace at
the finish line for the win. In the ensuing celebration, the
rookie shredded a tire and broke his starter while doing a
burnout and had to be pushed to Victory Lane.
But his triumph was significant in a number of ways. At
23, he became the second-youngest driver (behind 20-year-
old Trevor Bayne in 2011) to win the "Great American
Race" and the ninth to take his first Cup victory in the
February season opener.
And while it turned out to be his only win of 2022, it
was not the end of his successes. He would go on to win the
pole the following week at Auto Club Speedway and finish
12th in that race, putting him in the series points lead and
making him just the second rookie (after Jimmie Johnson in
2002) to lead the points standings in consecutive weeks.
On the season, he'd finish 12th in points and qualify for
the playoffs but was eliminated in the Round of 12. Rookie
of the Year honors would follow.
Cindric primed for a
repeat at Daytona
• FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20 - 26, 2023 •
Ellen Pompeo leaves
the series as
"Grey's Anatomy"
returns Thursday on
ABC.
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