There’s nothing quite like a baseball Hall of Famer stepping out of left field and stirring the pot in NASCAR. On April 28, Chipper Jones, yes, that Chipper, swung a verbal bat at Joey Logano, throwing his full weight behind Austin Cindric after the Talladega dust-up. Jones didn’t just back Cindric; he served Logano a not-so-subtle slice of karma with a tweet that instantly lit up X. “Sometimes karma is glorious,” he wrote, even tagging Logano for good measure after his Talladega disqualification.

And just like that, a Braves legend became part of NASCAR’s latest soap opera. But here’s the kicker. While Chipper was dishing jabs and fans were choosing sides, the man at the center of it all was… digging through his truck for a hat. What did Austin Cindric have to say when he finally caught wind of the whole saga? That’s where this story takes an unexpected turn.

Austin Cindric reacts to Chipper Jones’ viral rant

Jones, a legendary third baseman for the Atlanta Braves and a Baseball Hall of Famer, spent his entire MLB career with the Braves, earning an MVP award and a World Series title. His stature in American sports made his support for Cindric all the more notable. Jones’ posts came after Joey Logano’s expletive-filled radio rant at Talladega.

Logano had accused Cindric, his Penske teammate, of not helping him with a push at the end of stage 2, and keyed in his radio to say, “Way to f—– go. What a stupid f—. God. He just gave it to him. Gave a Toyota a stage win. Way to go. That dumba—. ” Cindric checking up allowed Bubba Wallace to cruise to a stage win that Logano was fighting for. However, Jones was having none of Logano’s rant against his teammate. Angered by Logano’s public criticism, Jones posted, “Good teammates are hard to come by.” The Hall of Famer’s comments quickly went viral, sparking debate across NASCAR and baseball circles.

However, the story takes an interesting turn when Austin Cindric recently revealed on the Dale Jr. Download that he considered wearing his Atlanta Braves hat to a team meeting! Since Chipper is a Braves legend, wearing that hat would have certainly ruffled some feathers in the Penske shop, so Cindric decided against the idea. He told Dale Earnhardt Jr. “The thought crossed my mind, but it was not the right moment.” In an interview ahead of the Texas race this weekend, Cindric revealed why he made that choice.

Cindric explained the story behind his Braves hat: “The funny thing is, that is my neutral hat… That one stayed in the hatbox, out of respect for my relationship with my teammates.” The Braves hat, a nod to one of MLB’s most storied franchises, became an unintentional symbol in the saga. Fans started speculating whether this was Cindric’s way of showing his support for Chipper’s comments against Joey Logano. However, there was nothing more to it than what Cindric explained.

When Cindric was asked about Chipper Jones’ viral social media defense, he responded with a mix of humility and humor, saying, “I know of him. I know who he is. I don’t follow too much baseball, but to have someone like that with eyes on our sport Hall of Famers is really cool. Like I said already, the rest of it is a lot of noise. But it’s cool to have someone like that behind me. Otherwise, yeah, definitely sounds like a NASCAR fan.”

Ultimately, Cindric’s reaction was measured and respectful, highlighting his maturity amid the storm of opinions. While the Logano-Jones spat dominated headlines, Cindric’s performance at Talladega and his ability to keep perspective earned him praise from fans and even a baseball legend. For Cindric, the support from Chipper Jones was a memorable, if unexpected, silver lining to a dramatic NASCAR weekend.

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Austin Cindric and Joey Logano face diverging paths at Texas

Austin Cindric heads into Texas Motor Speedway riding a wave of momentum. He qualified third (28.195 seconds), putting his No. 2 Team Penske Ford in prime position for another strong run. This marks Cindric’s second top-10 start at Texas and his seventh in 11 races this season. His recent form is impressive, coming off a Talladega win and showing speed on both ovals and road courses.

Cindric’s history at Texas is notable, especially from his Xfinity Series days. He won at Texas in 2020 after Kyle Busch’s disqualification and has consistently performed well at the 1.5-mile oval. In the Cup Series, Cindric is still chasing his first Texas win, but his average finish in the Xfinity Series was a stellar 8.2, highlighted by multiple top-five results. His adaptability at Texas has made him a driver to watch as he continues to grow in the Cup ranks.

Joey Logano, on the other hand, faces a tougher challenge this weekend. He qualified 27th (28.545 seconds), a far cry from his teammate’s front-row speed. Logano has had mixed results at Texas throughout his career. He’s a former winner at the track, having claimed victory in 2014. Over 28 Cup starts at Texas, Logano has an average finish of 13.8, with 13 top-10s and two pole positions. Despite his experience and past success, he’ll need to work through the field to contend.

With Cindric starting near the front and Logano deep in the pack, the Texas race could further shape the dynamic between the Penske teammates. Will Cindric’s momentum continue? Or can Logano stage a comeback and reclaim the spotlight at a track where he’s thrived before? Let us know what you think in the comments!