![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Austin-Cindric-Tickford.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAustin Cindric inside the Tickford garage. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAustin Cindric inside the Tickford garage. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n
The Team Penske driver arrived in time to buckle in for a passenger hot lap with Cam Waters as he prepares to spend the weekend embedded in the Tickford garage.<\/p>\n
Cindric flew into Australia this morning ahead of a whirlwind two weeks that will culminate in a wildcard appearance in the Supercars field at the Adelaide Grand Final.<\/p>\n
The son of former Team Penske president Tim was beaming when he jumped out of the Monster Energy Ford, declaring \u201cthat was fun\u201d before detailing his big day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came off a 17-hour flight around 9:10am, went to the shop straight away, got a seat fit, grabbed a quick lunch, came here, and I\u2019m in a race car,\u201d Cindric told Speedcafe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a busy day, but I was kind of ready for that, so it\u2019s been good.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Cindric with Tickford team manager Matt Roberts. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n
Cindric folded his 191cm frame into the left-hand seat of Waters\u2019 ride \u2013 labelling the obvious space issue \u201cstandard operating procedure for a tall race car driver\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf all the times I\u2019ve ridden in the passenger seat, this is the most normal it\u2019s ever felt because I was on the correct side of the car,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always fun doing ride-alongs. I\u2019m sure, for him, that felt slow compared to what he\u2019s doing in practice. The mid-corner speed feels so much more as a passenger than if you\u2019re driving.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s cool to get the perspective, especially before I go and observe the race weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cindric said there\u2019s plenty to learn from Waters and teammate Thomas Randle while observing this weekend.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll have his first drive of the wildcard Mustang during a ride day on Monday, before a two-day test at Tailem Bend during the week.<\/p>\n
Sandown Supercars crash course for NASCAR star<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI wish I would have gotten to see practice, but I\u2019ll get to see the next two days,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think this will be really important for me to kind of look at it from a bird\u2019s eye view and learn, not just how the team goes about it, but what Cam and Thomas look for out of their cars.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are the priorities throughout a race weekend?<\/p>\n \u201cTrying to apply that to how I normally go about things, but also, knowing what it\u2019s going to take to kind of get myself up to speed as quickly as possible so I can go maximise the weekend in Adelaide.\u201d<\/p>\n Get the latest NASCAR news, stats and betting insights at MotorRacing.com<\/a><\/p>\n
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