Austin Cindric wins inaugural Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 12, 2026
Cindric wins Daytona
Austin Cindric turned the pole into a win in the inaugural Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway, edging Robert Noaker by 0.136 seconds in the No. 2 Air Force Team Penske Ford Mustang Dark Horse R. Cindric controlled the finish after a late duel that gave the event a sprint-race edge. He and Noaker traded the lead three times in the final nine minutes, then Cindric made the decisive pass with five minutes remaining and held on from there. Noaker pressed him to the line while filling in for Ryan Blaney, who was absent after a fall earlier in the week.
The finish had the kind of close margin that suited the format. The race was a 30-minute timed event and the field completed 16 laps before the checkered flag. That left little room for mistakes and made every late move count. Cindric did the job from the front after earning the pole, but Noaker kept him honest through the final stretch. The battle at the top stayed tight enough that the final margin measured in hundredths of a second, not in car lengths.
The rest of the lead pack also produced a mixed set of results across the Ford field. Ryan Preece finished third, Brad Keselowski was fifth, Layne Riggs took sixth and Joey Logano came home seventh. Noah Gragson finished 10th and Ty Majeski was 11th. With 12 Ford Racing drivers split into six two-car teams, the event had a lineup built for side-by-side racing from the start. Cindric, though, made the final move that mattered most and put himself at the front when the clock mattered most.
Daytona timed race
The race format put the pressure on every lap. Instead of a standard distance race, drivers raced against a 30-minute clock, and the field still had to cover enough ground to make the moves count. That pushed strategy and execution into the same spotlight as raw speed. Cindric handled both. He started from the pole, kept himself in contention early and then answered Noaker when the lead changed hands in the closing minutes. The final nine minutes became a straight fight between the two drivers, with neither able to pull away for long.
That kind of finish is what made the inaugural event feel different. The race ended after 16 laps, so the pace stayed high and the margins stayed small throughout. A timed race leaves no room for a cautious approach once the front-runners settle in. Cindric and Noaker showed that. Their three lead swaps in the final nine minutes made the outcome feel live all the way to the end, and Cindric’s pass with five minutes left became the decisive moment of the night. The 0.136-second winning margin reflected how little separated the top two by the time the clock expired.
Ford used the event to showcase depth across its racing lineup. The 12-drivers, six-team format kept multiple pairings in view at once, and the military-inspired liveries added to the sense that the race was about more than one result. Even with the pressure of a timed finish and a late fight for position, the field delivered a compact, fast-moving event.
Ford tribute night
Ford built the event as a tribute to service, and the night carried that theme from start to finish. The teams ran custom military-inspired liveries, and the race honored all six branches of the U.S. Armed Services. That gave the first running of the Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic a clear identity beyond the racing itself. The on-track competition mattered most once the green flag dropped, but the presentation around it was centered on recognition and respect.
The race also brought a strong entertainment lineup to Daytona. Zac Brown Band, Nelly, Russell Dickerson, Jo Dee Messina and Warren Zeiders all performed as part of the event. Their sets gave the evening a concert atmosphere that matched the special-event feel of the race program. The combination of live music, tribute liveries and a close finish gave the debut a layered look, with the competitive side and the ceremonial side working together.
Cindric’s victory tied the whole night together. He led the race after winning the pole, battled through a short timed format and beat Noaker in a finish decided by 0.136 seconds. That result gave the inaugural event its first winner and put the Air Force Team Penske entry at the center of the debut. The race honored military service, showcased a 12-driver Ford field and ended with a close finish.
