Austin Cindric captured the inaugural Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway on November 11, edging Robert Noaker by just 0.136 seconds in a 30-minute exhibition featuring 12 Ford Mustangs.
Noaker Battles Cindric in Ford Mustang Event
- Stepping in for Ryan Blaney, Noaker battled Austin Cindric in the event featuring Ford Mustangs.
- The manufacturer event and debut of the all-new Mustang body package that NASCAR Cup teams will utilize in 2027 highlight Ford’s presence.
The Battle for Daytona Supremacy
Cindric secured pole position for the 30-minute contest, but Noaker quickly seized the initial advantage after taking over the seat normally occupied by 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, who suffered a fall a day after winning the Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The two drivers traded positions repeatedly while pulling clear of the rest of the field. With nine minutes remaining on the clock, Cindric found a decisive line around Noaker.
Noaker clawed back into the top spot a lap later before Cindric reclaimed the lead for good with four minutes to go, executing a precise braking maneuver into Turn 1. Ryan Preece finished third, trailing Cindric by 5.340 seconds, while Logan Sargeant and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.
“Air Force, hell yeah! That’s an awesome, awesome way to end on Veterans Day. This has been an amazing event and I had a ton of fun racing Robert there. He’s definitely the future in these kind of cars and I’m just thankful for all our servicemen and women that make things like this possible.”
said Austin Cindric, 2022 Daytona 500 winner.
Tactical Duel in the Infielder
Noaker pointed to the race start and tire management as the decisive factors in missing out on the victory. “Probably the start of the race, just not using tires up,” Noaker told motorsport.com.
“Yeah, he had a bit more braking ability into the corners and I think I had a bit more top end speed on him. So it made a fun duel there, you know, just trying to adapt and learn how these cars race together.”
REPORT – Austin Cindric beats Robert Noaker after epic duel to win @FordRacing's Veterans Day Classic at @DAYTONA: https://t.co/K0keiSvxn7
Mid-pack attrition shook up the running order as Ty Majeski spun entering the backstretch chicane and Jenson Altzman dropped down the order following a late-race spin. Meanwhile, Frankie Muniz missed the event entirely after a practice crash earlier in the day sent him to a local hospital for evaluation, from which he was released later that evening.
| Pos | Driver | Branch | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Cindric | Team Air Force | — |
| 2 | Robert Noaker | Team Marines | -0.136s |
| 3 | Ryan Preece | Team Navy | -5.340s |
| 4 | Logan Sargeant | Team Navy | -6.706s |
| 5 | Brad Keselowski | Team Army | -10.376s |
Ford Reveals New Mustang Body for 2027 NASCAR Competition
Alongside the on-track exhibition, Ford used the Veterans Day gathering to pull the covers off the all-new Mustang body that NASCAR Cup teams will deploy in competition in 2027.
Winner of the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic is @AustinCindric #ProudtoHonor pic.twitter.com/Ir3GlMpnBp
The event concluded with Cindric holding off Noaker across the stripe, capping off a day dedicated to honoring military families. “Hopefully those families that were here tonight and watched at home were able to take away all the fun and the joy, but also see how much, you know, myself and everyone at Ford Racing really, truly appreciates everything that our veterans do,” Cindric said.
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