Blaney, the reigning Cup champion, looked primed to pick up his first win of the 2024 season after surviving a wild duel with the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Christopher Bell.
Cindric had cut Blaney’s lead to under two seconds with three of 240 laps remaining when Blaney’s car suddenly fell off the pace.
Cindric inherited the lead and held off Denny Hamlin (JGR) by 3.844 seconds to pick up his second career victory and ended an 85-race winless streak dating back to the 2022 Daytona 500.
Cindric, who was in danger of missing the playoffs, locked himself in the 16-driver field with a victory he admitted Blaney had earned.
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Menards\Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang and Austin Cindric, Team Penske, Freightliner Ford Mustang
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Brad Keselowski ended up third after recovering from a loose wheel on his RFK Ford in Stage 1 that required him to pit twice and fall to the rear of the field.
Tyler Reddick was fourth and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.
Austin Dillon took sixth as Bell, who had won Stages 1 and 2, limped home seventh.
Carson Hocevar, Justin Haley and Kyle Larson - who survived hitting the wall on the final lap of Stage 2 after contact with Kyle Busch that ended the latter's race - completed the top 10.
Blaney did finally cross the finish line and ended up credited with a 24th place finish and last car on the lead lap.
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Source: Autosport