Austin Cindric, the Team Penske NASCAR driver, made headlines a couple of months ago when he signed on for a wildcard entry in Australia’s Repco Supercars Championship. Fresh off his laps in a Gen3 Ford Mustang at Sandown Raceway, the 27-year-old sounded genuinely pumped about the car’s feel during prep for the Adelaide Grand Final on November 27-30. And this new adventure of Cindric got him comparing the Gen3 and NASCAR’s next-gen cars.

With his Adelaide debut just weeks away, Cindric runs with Gen3 specs, exposing NASCAR’s next-gen gamble in the name of parity. And from all those comparisons, one standout comparison is starting to turn heads in the paddock.

Gen3 edges out next gen’s parity push

In a recent chat with V8 Sleuth, Austin Cindric didn’t hold back on his Gen3 Supercar debut. “It drives a lot better,” he said plainly after acknowledging the lighter, grippier Tickford Mustang at Sandown. As a supercar, being 100 kg lighter than the next-gen cars, it packs more overbody downforce, which results in exceptional tire grip.

That edge shines brightest on tracks like Sandown, where kerbs can make or break a lap. “The current generation Cup car is a lot more rigid,” Cindric explained. “Like, I’ve really had to talk myself into using the kerb as much as I can with this car. Yeah, it has a bigger effect on the driver, but the car still stays gripped up, whereas if I hit some of these kerbs in a Cup car, I’d be in the blue tent!”

Cindric also noticed a few similar characteristics between Gen3 and Next Gen cars, like both cars’ rear grip limits under braking. But the Gen3’s less rigid nature lets drivers push harder without the constant fear of a spin. This came during a low-key ride day post-Sandown 500, where he focused on building rhythm and knowing the Gen3 car’s technique before the race, as he doesn’t have any lap times left.

Penske NASCAR regular says Gen3 Supercar “drives a lot better” than current-generation Cup car.#RepcoSChttps://t.co/4p4rTE8XWM

— V8 Sleuth (@V8Sleuth) November 17, 2025

In 2022, NASCAR introduced the Next Gen as a big bet on parity by slashing costs and standardizing parts to level the field for smaller teams. But even after three seasons in, it’s drawing criticism for letting deep-pocketed outfits like Penske and Hendrick Motorsports move further ahead in the competition because the resource gaps in setup and sim work widen the win margins. Cindric’s words echo that frustration, spotlighting how the Gen3 keeps battles tight without punishing bold moves.

As the first full-time NASCAR Cup guy in the series since 2019’s Bathurst cameos, Cindric’s honest take could spark more drivers moving to supercars to taste the Gen3 cars’ riding thrill.

Cindric’s wildcard participation in this event stems directly from how one Kiwi’s supercar ride gave him a strong advantage on the road course in the NASCAR Cup Series.

SVG’s road course rampage fuels supercars crossover

Shane van Gisbergen‘s dominant run on road courses in the Cup Series has everyone in the garage buzzing about Supercars talent. The Kiwi joined Trackhouse Racing full-time in 2024, and since then, he has won five of six road course starts as a rookie, which is a feat that even veterans cannot fathom.

Cindric credits SVG’s dominance for creating an interest in the NASCAR drivers to try out these Supercars events. Cindric said, “I think the fact that he’s kicking everybody’s ass on road courses makes them more aware of Supercars. That’s the bottom line.” It’s no minor achievement for SVG, as his wins at places like Sonoma and the Chicago street race showed how Supercars’ road-racing DNA made him dominate NASCAR’s road courses.

Before SVG, these types of crossovers were rare, but his success and also cameos from Scott McLaughlin made NASCAR drivers eye wildcard entries in events like Tickford’s Adelaide to race in Supercars. But Cindric, who is a lifelong fan who’s followed the series since childhood, sees it as a win for the sport. “I mean, I’ve been aware of the championship my whole life and been a big fan,” he added, “but as far as within our industry, I think you take an awareness any time you’re getting beat.”

With added perks like family holidays and an opportunity to meet new sponsors, Cindric’s three-week tour there sets a template for drivers like Kyle Larson to participate in these events as well.