In NASCAR, points are everything. They dictate who makes the playoffs, who wins championships, and even which teams get better garage placements each week. But not all penalties impact every part of a team equally—just ask Austin Cindric and Team Penske.
After NASCAR hit Cindric with a 50-point penalty following the race at Atlanta, it only applied to the driver standings. That means Cindric himself took a hit, but his No. 2 team is still sitting 12th in the owner points standings.
For those who don’t follow the ins and outs of NASCAR’s rulebook, this might seem odd. Shouldn’t the team and driver be treated the same? Not necessarily.
Driver Points vs. Owner Points
In NASCAR, there are two main standings to track:
- Driver Points – This is where individual drivers rank in the championship battle. It determines playoff eligibility and who takes home the trophy at season’s end.
- Owner Points – These are tied to the car itself, not the driver. Owner points determine things like provisional starting spots, charter value, and garage placement.
In most cases, a driver’s points and their car’s owner points are identical—unless something happens, like a penalty or a driver change.
Why Cindric’s Penalty Only Affects Him
When NASCAR handed down the 50-point penalty, they only applied it to Cindric’s driver standings. This means he personally dropped in the championship battle, but Team Penske’s No. 2 car still holds its position in the owner standings. That’s a big deal because owner points determine important things like garage stall selections and pit road positioning.
This distinction can have major implications as the season progresses. If Cindric struggles to make the playoffs on driver points but the No. 2 car stays strong in owner points, it could still have a shot at the owner’s championship. We’ve seen this happen before—drivers miss the playoffs, but their teams still race for an owner title.
What This Means Moving Forward
With the garage layout based on owner points, Cindric’s No. 2 team will continue to benefit from a solid spot, despite his personal points deficit. That’s an advantage when it comes to race-day prep and performance.
It also means that while Cindric has work to do to climb back up the standings, Team Penske’s No. 2 car is still in a decent position overall.
So, while the penalty stings, it’s not a complete disaster for the team. If Cindric can rebound in the coming weeks, he could make up lost ground. But if he struggles, we could see an interesting scenario where his car fights for an owner’s title—even if he’s not in the playoff picture himself.
One thing’s for sure: NASCAR’s points system always keeps things interesting.
