Austin Cindric showed competitive speed during Sunday's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway before a late accident ended his afternoon in 27th place. The Team Penske driver started 28th and worked his way forward during an event featuring extensive drafting strategy and multiple lead changes.
Cindric earned valuable stage points early, finishing 10th in Stage 1. He continued improving his position during the second segment, running near the front alongside teammate Joey Logano. Cindric ultimately finished fourth in Stage 2, strengthening his championship points total.
His strong performance suggested that he could potentially contend for another superspeedway victory during the final stage. However, Cindric's afternoon ended when a 15-car
accident erupted on Lap 183.
The damage prevented him from continuing, leaving him 27th after completing 183 laps. Despite the disappointing finish, Cindric earned 18 points through his stage results and finishing position.
He remains eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings with 2,258 points, tied with Ty Gibbs. However, Cindric trails championship leader Kyle Larson by 183 points, mathematically eliminating him from title contention. Cindric will now focus on finishing as high as possible in the final standings during the remaining races at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Austin Cindric eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
