Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Discount Tire team showed resilience throughout Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, battling through multiple setbacks in a race that offered both opportunity and frustration.
After starting 11th, Cindric reported a tight condition in the opening run and finished Stage 1 in the 13th position. A concern for a potential loose wheel forced the team to make an extra stop, dropping Cindric to the rear of the field for the restart.
As the race unfolded through a series of cautions and restarts, Cindric maneuvered his way forward and cracked the top 10. Crew chief Brian Wilson made the call to stay out late in Stage 2 in a bid for the Stage win and a valuable playoff point. Cindric was battling in the lead on the last lap before finishing second in the segment.
Varying pit strategies shuffled the field again, and Cindric was working his way forward when a flat left-front tire forced an unscheduled stop with 26 laps remaining. The issue took the team off sequence and left them with a 31st-place finish in the lone trip to the two-mile track this season.
Cindric reflected on the day’s events, stating that it seemed like one of those days where it wasn’t meant to be. Despite struggling with tight conditions early on, the team made adjustments and took a strategy to stay out and try to win the stage on old tires. Unfortunately, they were passed on the last lap.
In spite of the disappointing finish, Cindric credited his team for their good recovery from the back of the field. The left-rear tire issue ultimately proved costly, but the team will look to build on their performance in future events.