Daytona 500 Winner Austin Cindric Opens Up About Nerves as a NASCAR Driver to ‘Coach K’ Mike Krzyzewski

For a racecar driver, irrespective of their form of racing, winning the Daytona 500 is one of those milestones, one of those ‘boxes’ they aim to check off in their career. But only a few do and many don’t despite trying over and over and over again. But on the other hand, Austin Cindric has done it at only 23. So one wonders now, now that he has achieved such a high, how does he keeps himself motivated?

This is what the Team Penske driver recently spoke about in a recent interview with ‘Coach K’ Mike Krzyzewski.

Cindric described how his 24×7 passion for racing keeps him going, to the point where he doesn’t even feel nervous anymore. “Early on in my career, I’d get nervous before a race. But probably in the last ten years of driving like, I don’t get nervous anymore,” he said.

“For me, like my whole life revolves around my racing, like every moment. It is what I think of when I wake up, what I think of when I’m falling asleep.”

As for what keeps him going, the rookie said, “I’m not very externally motivated. I’m pretty internally motivated.”

“I know as long as I do my job, that’s all I have control over, and know that’s the influence that I have for that day.”

Austin Cindric on pole at Fontana

For anyone who thought Cindric’s win at Daytona was down to luck or any other reason, the rookie has a response – he is on pole at Fontana. This means the rookie is, well, in pole position to make it two in a row.

Speaking after his qualifying result, Cindric said, “There’s so much learning and there’s so much going on.”

“Overall, it was pretty awesome and pretty dramatic. I honestly didn’t think my lap would stand,” he continued.

“It’s just been an awesome couple of days and now an awesome way to start this weekend.”

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