The Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs opened at New Hampshire with a strong showcase for Team Penske. Ryan Blaney powered to his first victory at Loudon, while Joey Logano held steady to keep his postseason run alive, finishing 4th after starting from the pole. For Austin Cindric, however, the day told a different story. Finishing midpack, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner slipped further down in the standings. With Kansas and the Charlotte looming, the margin for error has shrunk to nearly nothing.

Cindric’s position and the earlier playoff races have fueled scrutiny of Roger Penske’s program. Though Blaney’s win and Logano’s steadiness reaffirmed Penske’s strength for the first time, Cindric’s inconsistency has raised questions about whether the No. 2 car is maximizing its potential. With Penske’s leadership always under the microscope, Cindric’s response after Loudon became important in taking responsibility as the playoff cutline tightens.

Cindric shoulders NASCAR Cup Series blame

When pressed about what went wrong in Loudon, Cindric pointed the spotlight squarely on himself. “I definitely botched my lap in qualifying, which set us back,” he admitted. Cindric finished 22nd in qualifying, recording 29.592 seconds. He framed the issue not as a car problem but as his own mistake. In a weekend where Penske’s cars looked capable of running near the front, the 27-year-old refused to link his result to team decisions or Roger Penske’s leadership. Instead, he doubled down on the idea that his own execution cost the No. 2 team track position.

He went further in describing his execution issues on restarts, conceding that “you have to be able to restart well, and I struggled with that.” At a track like Loudon, track position can dictate stage points and playoff momentum. Here, restarts carry outsized importance.

By acknowledging shortcomings in such a pivotal area, Cindric closed off speculation that Penske’s strategy had fallen short. In fact, he also credited his team’s efforts, saying, “The team threw a lot at the car today, just a shame.” That deliberate emphasis highlighted how Cindric chose to shield the Penske brand from public doubt and take responsibility for their problems.

The playoff cutline only heightened the stakes of his comments. Entering Kansas, Cindric sits at 10th with 19 points below the cutline. He reminded reporters that “the saving grace is that several other playoff drivers couldn’t get stage points, so it keeps us in the hunt.” By highlighting rivals’ missteps, he found a sliver of optimism without deflecting blame from himself. Still, the ROVAL is expected to be a chaotic cutoff race. Cindric’s declaration that “we could just win Kansas, and that would make this an easy conversation” added urgency to his self-imposed challenge.

Looking forward, Cindric’s stance may serve a dual purpose. On one hand, it shields Roger Penske and the No. 2 crew from any criticism after a mixed weekend for Ford. On the other hand, it places immense pressure on Cindric himself, leaving little room for excuses if Kansas or the ROVAL do not go his way.

If he can convert the accountability into performance, the loyalty may pay off in the form of deeper playoff contention. If not, questions about his place in the Penske hierarchy will only grow louder as the postseason progresses.

While Cindric fails, teammate shines

Team Penske’s dominance at New Hampshire extended beyond Ryan Blaney’s victory. Joey Logano accrued critical stage points to solidify his playoff standing and Roger Penske’s reputation. For Logano, the race was less about keeping pace with his teammate and more about maximizing execution on pit road and strategy calls. That focus paid off with a strong P4 finish and a cushion above the cutline.

The critical moment came in the closing laps, when Logano had to decide between chasing Blaney or settling into a safer finish. “The 12 was wicked fast in practice, and he showed that again in the race,” Logano explained. His only real opening was on pit road. But when Blaney’s team matched Penske’s precision, Logano found himself weighing pure points against instinct. That decision carried both immediate consequences and broader playoff implications.

Logano described the pivotal restart candidly. “That last restart, I could have restarted behind him and probably finished third in the race, but I wanted a chance to win.” By choosing the aggressive line, he lost a spot but reinforced his willingness to gamble in high-stakes moments.

At the same time, he stressed the positives, citing stage results. “A second and a first in the first two stages and a top-four finish” as proof that the No. 22 team did what was required to advance.

Looking ahead, Logano’s words reflect the balancing act facing playoff veterans, managing risk while pursuing wins that can simplify postseason math. He also admitted that “the greed in me” always pushes him toward victory. With Kansas and the ROVAL still to come, that hunger could propel Logano deeper into the postseason.