The fallout from the incident between Austin Cindric and Ty Dillon at NASCAR’s Circuit of the Americas has been a major talking point in the stock car community this week.
During the fourth lap of Sunday’s race, Cindric made contact with Dillon, right-rear hooking him on the road course. Despite the nature of the move, NASCAR did not throw a caution flag. However, Cindric faced consequences after the race, receiving a $50,000 fine and a deduction of 50 driver points.
Many within the sport believe the penalty was too lenient, arguing that similar actions have led to suspensions for other drivers in the past. Kyle Busch, a former Cup Series champion, was among those who voiced strong disapproval after NASCAR’s decision was announced.
“I think intent is intent. I do not agree with the call there,” Busch stated on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Doesn’t matter where it happens—Daytona, Martinsville, Watkins Glen. And it’s not the first time he’s done something like this either. He got off easy on this one.”
Busch’s frustration appears to stem from Cindric’s past on-track incidents, which he believes NASCAR failed to take into account when determining the penalty. However, not everyone sees the situation the same way. Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered a different perspective on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.
“Look, if you have a track record of doing things like this, NASCAR is going to factor that in,” Earnhardt Jr. explained.
He acknowledged the argument from Busch and Denny Hamlin, who believe that any intentional right-rear hook—regardless of speed—should be treated with the same level of severity. However, Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t entirely convinced.
“I get what some of these guys are saying. Kyle and Denny are basically saying, ‘A right hook is a right hook, whether it’s at 10 miles an hour or 200 miles an hour. It should all be handled the same way.’ But I don’t know. I’m not sure I can fully agree with that.”
Earnhardt also recalled a past incident involving Cindric at St. Louis, where there was debate over whether his actions led to Austin Dillon wrecking. He then hinted that Busch’s relationship with Dillon—his teammate at Richard Childress Racing—could be influencing his strong stance on Cindric’s penalty.
With tensions still high, the NASCAR garage will be watching closely as the drivers take to the track at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET.
