NASCAR driver Austin Cindric will join Ford Multimatic Motorsports as a replacement for injured Ben Barker in the No. 64 Mustang GT3 at the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona. Barker suffered a broken collarbone during a skiing holiday, creating an opening for Cindric to team up with Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx.

This marks Cindric's sixth Rolex 24 appearance, bringing significant experience to the team. The 26-year-old from Mooresville, N.C. boasts an impressive racing background, including:

• 2022 Daytona 500 victory
• Two NASCAR Cup Series wins
• 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship
• Multiple wins in Michelin Pilot Challenge

Cindric's history with Ford and Multimatic dates back to 2015 when he made his Michelin Pilot Challenge debut at age 16. His best Rolex 24 finish was fifth in class, achieved twice - with Vasser Sullivan Racing (2019) and Proton Competition (2022).

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, praised Cindric's versatility and proven success with Mustang in both NASCAR and sports cars. Pascal Zurlinden, Executive VP of Multimatic Engineering, expressed confidence in Cindric's abilities while wishing Barker a speedy recovery.

"This will be one of the best opportunities I'll have had at taking one of those watches home," Cindric said, referring to the coveted Rolex timepiece awarded to race winners. "I'm keen to do my part in contributing to a great result, but also representing Multimatic and Ford properly as they start their season in IMSA."

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