Austin Cindric Fights to Finish 14th at Quaker State 400

Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang Dark Horse team fought to the finish at the Quaker State 400, ultimately crossing the line 14th on Sunday night at EchoPark Speedway.

What happened?

Austin Cindric started eighth and quickly worked his way toward the front, running third in line within the first 20 laps. He remained a fixture around the top five throughout the opening stage, crossing the line fifth at the end of Stage 1. After making a scheduled four-tire stop under the stage caution, Cindric restarted seventh to begin Stage 2. The race was interrupted on Lap 108 by weather in the area, resulting in a red flag that lasted more than three hours.

Why it matters for Austin Cindric

Cindric's strong run was hampered by a loose car late in the race, causing him to lose track position. Despite this, he avoided the incidents that unfolded throughout the field and ultimately crossed the finish line 14th. The No. 2 team made adjustments during the stage break, but were unable to fully regain the balance of the car.

What comes next?

Cindric's thoughts on the race were clear: "We had a really fast Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang early on and put ourselves in position to contend. Late in the race, we got really loose and just never fully got the balance back where we needed it. It's disappointing because we were capable of a much better finish, but we'll take what we learned and move on to the next one." The team will look to apply the lessons learned at the Quaker State 400 to their next outing.

In a dominant performance, Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Ford Mustang Dark Horse team led a race-high 171 laps and prevailed in a three-wide battle to the checkered flag in an overtime finish to come away with their second win of the season-and 19th of Blaney's Cup Series career-on Sunday night at EchoPark Speedway.

The victory also marks Ford's 750th Cup Series win while Blaney's 171 laps led on a drafting track stands as the second-most in Cup Series history. The No. 12 team's win marks the ninth for Team Penske all-time at EchoPark Speedway and third in the 10 races since the track's reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season.

After winning the pole Saturday, Blaney swept the first two stages-marking the fourth time in his career he has done so-before going on to secure his fourth-consecutive season with multiple victories while also notching his second-career win from the pole (Daytona 2, 2025).

The Quaker State 400 took place on July 12, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Ga.

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