Team Penske exec says team 'never lost faith' in Austin Cindric amid winless streak

"We've never lost faith in Austin Cindric, I promise you."

Those were the words spoken by Team Penske executive Walter Czarnecki, who spoke to the media at World Wide Technology Raceway following Austin Cindric's win in the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday. 

While the win did come at the expense of his teammate - fellow Penske driver Ryan Blaney ran out of gas coming to the white flag - it could be a turning point not just for Cindric's 2024 season, but for his career. 

Even before Cindric took the checkered flag under the Illinois sun, he had already put together the best race of his NASCAR Cup Series career. While he did win the Daytona 500 in 2022, putting together a complete race at a non-drafting oval had been a rarity in Cindric's short Cup Series career. After qualifying second on Saturday, however, it seemed like he was finally on the path for a good points day and a race that could serve as a much needed shot in the arm for a lackadaisical No. 2 team. 

In the span of one lap - about 34 seconds around the 1.25 mile oval in Madison, Illinois - Cindric went from a good points day to his second career win and a berth in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. 

The win broke an 85-race winless streak dating back to the aforementioned 2022 Daytona 500, and puts Cindric back into the postseason after a one-year hiatus. 

Cindric came into the weekend 20th in points, and likely in need of a victory to make the playoffs. After a flashy rookie year, he regressed in 2023, finishing 24th in points with just five top-10 finishes in 36 races. 

As Czarnecki noted in the media center after the race, however, Penske never lost confidence in the driver of the their flagship car. 

"He (Cindric) has not lost his desire," Czarnecki said, responding to a question from Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass regarding Cindric's current standing with the organization. "This is a reaffirming situation for him today. We've never lost faith in Austin Cindric, I can promise you that."