When in-car footage of Austin Cindric turning his very first lap in the Gen 3 Supercars Ford Mustang hit the internet, the motorsport world lit up. Instead of the usual skepticism that shadows a newcomer crashing a legacy series, fans were almost unanimously impressed.
That buzz only grew louder once the driver unveiled the spanking new, racy Orange livery of his No. 5 Tickford Racing Ford Mustang for his Adelaide adventure.
A Wildcard Making Waves Before the First Green Flag — Austin Cindric’s Supercars Reveal
Team Penske’s three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, Cindric, has unveiled the striking livery of his Mustang, adorned with a racy Orange and Blue dual tone, for his upcoming wildcard run at the bp Adelaide Grand Final. Backed by the series’s primary sponsor, Repco, Armor All, and Ford, the 27-year-old will make his Supercars Championship debut at the Adelaide Parklands Circuit in 10 days, Nov. 27-30.
The American is set to take on Australasia’s top touring car talent in a Tickford Racing-prepared Ford Mustang on the iconic Adelaide street course, the stage for the series’ inaugural Grand Final and the crowning of the 2025 Supercars champion as a wildcard entry from the west.
The livery launch comes on the heels of Cindric’s early arrival in Australia, where he began adjusting to both the time difference and the Gen 3 Supercar he’ll race in his official debut. While he has sampled Aussie machinery before, testing a DJR Team Penske Ford Falcon FG X long back in 2016 and racing in the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour with Erebus Motorsport, this trip marks his first true immersion into the Supercars atmosphere.
After touching down, Cindric immediately got hands-on experience, joining his Tickford team star Cam Waters for a spirited run around Sandown International Motor Raceway. For a change, Cindric rode shotgun this time, taking his time to observe how Waters dissected the circuit’s layout corner by corner.
The 2022 Daytona 500 winner’s next phase is all about getting behind the wheel himself. He’s scheduled for two full test days at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia as he fine-tunes for his big debut weekend. Once those sessions are complete, he’ll officially join the field as the 25th entrant on the grid.
In fact, Cindric‘s commitment to mastering every detail of the Supercars craft has already turned heads. His use of the heel-and-toe technique (uncommon for most NASCAR regulars) surprised both longtime Supercars fans and seasoned stock-car insiders.
It’s a sign of just how seriously he’s approaching this challenge, echoing the adaptability shown by drivers like Shane van Gisbergen, whose precision driving paid off instantly in NASCAR’s 2023 debut in Chicago.
With Australia’s calendar packed with demanding, technical circuits, refining those skills will be essential. And if NASCAR continues adding road courses in the years ahead, Cindric’s experience here may give him an unexpected edge long after this wildcard run is over. Period!