‘Missed opportunity’- That’s how Roger Penske will view their 2025 Ambetter Health 400 after his team came agonizingly close to securing a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Widely considered favorites to retain the Cup Series title in 2025, the racing side has not yet entered Victory Lane this year, despite being on the verge of a triumph at the Daytona 500 as well. However, one of their drivers has gotten used to the unfortunate habit of being at the right place at the wrong time, resulting in heartbreak.

Austin Cindric almost broke his 22-race winless streak at the 1.5-mile oval before being pushed into the wall by Kyle Larson. The Ohio native didn’t hold back in the post-race interview, calling out his Hendrick Motorsports rival for his reckless actions.

Lady ‘Luck’ is not on Cindric’s side

Austin Cindric’s performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway was disastrous, to say the least. The No. 2 Ford racer was in the lead with 10 laps to go and looked well on his way to securing a much-needed victory. However, Kyle Larson decided to make a bold move up the inside, and despite not being completely clear off Cindric, the No. 5 Chevy driver forced his rival on the outside, resulting in the driver crashing into the inside wall and spinning on the track. William Byron was also caught in the crossfire, ending any chance either driver had of securing a respectable finish.

Infuriated at the outcome, Austin Cindric didn’t hesitate to call out Larson in the post-race interview, saying, “Up in the wall, wrecked, and didn’t win. We’re not clear. I don’t know what information he’s getting. Obviously, my car is on his outside. It definitely merits conversation. It’s unfortunate because we led a lot of laps and had four of the fastest cars in Atlanta but didn’t win.” The Team Penske driver went on to say, “As a team, as Fords, we had the best cars here this weekend. We put ourselves into position to win the race and got used up and into the fence and didn’t win the race. It’s a shame.”

It’s not the first time Cindric has been robbed of a potential victory. In the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, the 26-year-old was leading the field to the white flag before being caught up in a wreck initiated by Cole Custer. Instead of two potential wins, the Team Penske driver has been forced to settle for an 8th and 28th place finish respectively. Expressing his feelings, the racer said, “Two weeks in a row I feel like we have had the car to beat and haven’t done it. One way or another it is disappointing.”

To say that Austin Cindric has experienced bad luck would be an understatement. The driver has secured only two wins since he joined Team Peske in 2022, despite having plenty of dominating performances. This year alone, the racer has led a staggering 106 laps in just two weeks but has nothing to show for his efforts. Meanwhile, his teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have Cup Series championships to their name, while the No. 2 Ford driver continues to struggle despite having the same equipment.

Kyle Larson accepts the blame for Cindric’s wreck

The stage was set for Austin Cindric. The Team Penske driver qualified for the 2025 AmBetter Health 400 in second place, finishing just 0.002 seconds behind teammate Ryan Blaney at the 1.5-mile track. He collected 9 stage points after the opening 60 laps by finishing second but dropped down to ninth at the end of Stage 2 while Kyle Larson ended up first. However, the Ohio native made up the ground as the race came to an end, but everything changed with just two laps to go when the Hendrick Motorsports driver forced Cindric into the outside wall.

Accepting his role in the incident, Kyle Larson confessed, “Yeah, that was my fault. I haven’t seen a replay, but I’m sure that was my fault. I was gonna clear him a little bit better and, like, just drive in front of him, and he could pick me up in the backstretch, and I think he just, he just got there, like, he got closer to my right side quicker than I anticipated, and then I’m, like, tight, you know? My spotter is yelling last second, outside, outside, and I’m just, I’m trying to give space because I don’t want to get hooked myself in the wall.”

Last week, Denny Hamlin complimented Austin Cindric’s racing prowess on superspeedways. Even though Atlanta Motor Speedway is less than 2 miles long, the venue is considered a smaller drafting track, along the lines of Daytona or Talladega. The Team Penske driver’s performance at the 2025 AmBetter Health 400 backed the veteran racer’s claim, even though a victory continues to elude Cindric. However, with the season just beginning, the Ohio native will have plenty more chances to turn his fortunes around and secure a playoff spot.