“People have gotten way smarter with their stage points,” a wise Chase Elliott quipped. Currently standing 7th in playoff points, the Hendrick Motorsports driver is among the elite. However, one of those smart people, as mentioned by Elliott, stands as a thorn in his path. Like HMS, Roger Penske‘s three-car fold is also in the playoffs, and one of them knows how to wade through them.

Team Penske‘s two foremost drivers are cushioned inside the top ten. Both Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano are former champions. However, their teammate is yet to see the glimmer of the title trophy. So he is setting his goals straight for the 2024 playoffs with a solid strategy.

Until June 2nd this year, all Cup Series wins except for one came from drivers sitting 11th or better in the standings. But at World Wide Technology Raceway, Roger Penske’s stud Austin Cindric rescripted this trend. Although it took his teammates’ engine woes, Cindric surged to the front row when it all mattered. Thus the No. 2 Ford driver stamped his ticket into the playoffs—but he occupies a precarious position in 10th place, and the following races would be crucial for his championship hopes.

But Roger Penske’s Gateway star exuded confidence in the pre-Atlanta presser. Talking to Sirius XM NASCAR, Austin Cindric initially outlined the great challenge—facing playoff-deprived, thorny rivals. “The guys that got eliminated or didn’t make the cut for the playoffs, those are championship-caliber cars and teams and drivers. And those guys are still gonna be guys I have to race for the next however many weeks for the playoffs.”

Further, acknowledging the harsh truth, he said, “Just because we’re in the playoffs, it doesn’t guarantee us to run well or be able to have an advantage on guys that are just as capable of winning races for the rest of the year.”

Yet knowing the strategy is the way to go, as Roger Penske’s driver counts among Elliott’s’ smarter drivers.’ Instead of focusing on a win, Austin Cindric will direct his attention toward gathering stage points. “I’ve only got 2 points that separate me between the cut line, which is good. It’s better to be ahead than behind. I feel like I’m average as far as where guys are at. But otherwise, I can double my advantage by just finishing 8th in one stage.”

Besides his well-cut-out strategy, Cindric also harbors a significant advantage heading into the first playoff segment. However, later down the line seems a little more challenging.

Luck may run out in two weeks for Austin Cindric

Since NASCAR reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2022, Roger Penske’s underdog star has been sneakily consistent there. Cindric owns a third-best average finish of 12.4 on the 1.54-mile track, leading multiple laps in the last four Atlanta races. When Daniel Suarez clinched the February win at Atlanta, Cindric was just behind in 4th place. The following race at Watkins Glen also looks bright, given Cindric’s road racing background and a summer tire test.

However, problems may arise in two weeks when NASCAR will head to Bristol Motor Speedway. Cindric had a hard time working through tire management strategies in March, finishing 31st. So Roger Penske’s star admitted to the challenge there. “Bristol is definitely the most unpredictable track in this round, let alone just because of the tires from the Spring race…It’s a track that I feel confident at, but there are a lot of factors there. Whether if that’s been mechanical failures with the car or obviously the tire issues in the spring. You want to be as secure as you can going into that one.”

Clearly, Roger Penske’s driver has razor-sharp clarity about how he needs to weather the incoming storms. Let us wait and see how Cindric fares in the playoffs.