Team Penske’s attenuator scandal isn’t just restricted to IndyCar Series; the ripple waves have stretched as far as NASCAR. Although Josef Newgardeen and Will Power were pushed back to the tail end of the grid for the start of the Indy 500, there were demands for major changes. Many cited a conflict of interest with Penske owning the Series and fielding a race team. In response to the controversy, Roger Penske terminated team president Tim Cindric, who had been with the team for 26 years. In response, his son Austin Cindric, who races for Team Penske in NASCAR, suddenly found himself in the firing line of questions aimed at his future within the team.

“When I have not performed to my best, we have had those conversations. But past that, it’s business as usual for me.” Cindric pushed back on these tough questions. There’s a reason why these questions made sense, because before the controversy came into light, Tim Cindric had already stepped back from his involvement with the racing operations at Team Penske. Now that the silly season rumors are floating around, many wonder if Cindric would retain his spot in the #2 car.

To put the speculations and rumors to rest, team owner Roger Penske ensured that Austin Cindric’s future is secured with the team. But there’s a catch, and the driver will need to be on his toes to keep that variable away from him. Talking to the FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, Roger Penske stated his plans for the driver, which will continue up to the next season. Bob Pockrass posted a snippet of his conversation with Penske on Twitter, writing, “Caught up with Roger Penske for a few minutes today. Will post more comments over next couple days but with all the chatter about Austin Cindric after his dad was dismissed, here is what Roger Penske said in giving Austin a vote of confidence (he’s good at least through 2026)”

Although not the entirety of the information was provided but the conversation between the two went on as follows, as Roger Penske answered, “Let me say, as far as Austin Cindric is concerned, I had a good talk with him. He’s been a great young guy. I’ve known him as he’d grown up. And I said, “Austin, you’ve got a job to do here, you’ve got a contract with us, and you’ve got a contract for next year.” So as far as I’m concerned, we don’t need to be talking about Austin Cincric. We need to be talking about Austin Cindric in the winner’s circle.” Penske reaffirmed his support for Austin and made it clear that the driver’s job was secured at least for the near future.

Here’s the catch: the common trend that has been seen in the Cup garage is to ensure all the drivers are secured until 2026. RCR did just that with Kyle Busch, just a single-year extension, not committing on a long-term deal. In Cindric’s case, he has been performing well this year, and a win at Talladega has ensured his playoff spot. The #2 team has been strong in superspeedway races this year; had it not been for the big one at Daytona 500, Cindric would be a multi-race winner.

For the time being, the 26-year-old driver has a runway for one year. A couple more wins and a deep run in the playoff would diffuse the situation. But if he remains a third choice to his teammates, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, his place wouldn’t be as secure as it is right now. While the options for his direct replacement are tough to find, very few would be able to turn down an offer from Team Penske if it comes their way.

Is Josh Berry in line to be the next Team Penske driver?

Although this might seem far-fetched, the best potential option for Team Penske could be from their satellite team, Wood Brothers Racing. Berry has endured a tough ride in his rookie year at Stewart-Haas Racing. Before he could showcase his talents or capabilities, the driver was forced to look for a new ride. SHR was pulling the plug on their NASCAR operations, and WBR were quick to react. They announced last year that Berry would be replacing Harrison Burton in the #21 car, and they’ve certainly made the right call.

He had a strong run at the Daytona 500 and Atlanta before crashing out, before finally delivering a solid P4 result at Phoenix Raceway. It was evident that Berry and his team were on the right path; all they needed was one big race, and they got that at Las Vegas. The former SHR driver parked his car in the victory lane and sealed his spot in the playoffs. This was a true underdog performance, as no one saw Berry being an instant hit at WBR.

Currently, both Cindric and Berry are stacked together in the playoff standings in 15th and 16th spots. This is huge for a single-car operation team that can match strides with the big boys. The 2026 picture isn’t too far off, and if Berry continues his charge at the top, the higher-ups at Team Penske will take notice of him. So, without the backing of his father, Austin Cindric needs to be prepared for what is to come next. And the only thing that can keep his ride secure is wins and a deep playoff run. If he manages to outrun either Logano or Blaney, he should be in a safe spot.