Ryan Blaney Crashes After Brake Failure at Gateway
Ryan Blaney Crashes After Brake Failure at Gateway
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Blaney’s No. 12 had been especially strong at Gateway, with the Team Penske driver among the track’s top performers in each of his previous four Cup Series starts there.
2
Video showed the right-front brake rotor exploding through the hood. Blaney kept the car against the wall through Turns 1 and 2 to scrub off speed before taking it to the garage under his own power.
3
Blaney was the first of the 16 championship contenders to suffer a DNF in the playoff round, finishing 35th in the 240-lap race and likely falling outside the top five in the standings.
4
Despite the crash, Blaney earned 16 championship points, with 14 coming from two fourth-place stage finishes earlier in the event.
5
Blaney said the team’s car had been competitive enough to contend for the win, telling reporters, “I thought we did a really good job today. I thought the car was good and had good stage points and was looking forward to the end of the race.”
Ryan Blaney's playoff push hit a wall at Gateway on Sunday when his No. 12 Ford suffered a brake failure on Lap 155. Read Motorsport reported the incident sent him into the outside wall and dropped him to 35th place, a brutal blow after he arrived third in the standings, just 16 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. Video showed the right-front brake rotor exploding through the hood as Blaney fought to control the car.
Blaney managed to slow the car by scrubbing it against the wall through two turns before limping to the garage under his own power. MRN noted the failure came with little warning, though Blaney walked away and was released from the infield care center. He told reporters his car was competitive enough to win: 'I thought we did a really good job today. I thought the car was good.'
Brake Failures Plague Gateway on Sunday
Blaney's crash was not an isolated incident. Yahoo Sports reported that Chase Elliott also suffered a brake rotor failure at Gateway, highlighting a recurring problem at the track. Multiple championship contenders faced mechanical disasters in the same race, raising questions about either the track conditions or mandatory equipment standards.
The failures occurred despite both drivers' cars running competitively early in the event. Blaney had earned 16 championship points through two fourth-place stage finishes before the Lap 155 incident. His strong performance in earlier stages showed the No. 12 had the speed to contend with the field.
Blaney's Gateway Streak Ends in Devastation
Before Sunday's crash, Blaney had been one of Gateway's best performers. Yahoo Sports noted he ranked among the track's top drivers in each of his previous four Cup Series starts there. The World Wide Technology Raceway had been a strong venue for Team Penske, making the brake failure all the more costly.
The 35th-place finish likely drops Blaney outside the top five in the championship standings. As the first of 16 playoff contenders to suffer a DNF in this round, he faces an uphill climb to recover. His team will investigate the brake setup before considering whether NASCAR mandates need tightening.
Blaney Seeks Internal Answers Over NASCAR Rules
Rather than blame NASCAR, Blaney said his team would first examine its own brake configuration. Read Motorsport reported he rejected calls for new mandatory NASCAR mandates, believing the issue may stem from Team Penske's setup choices. The driver kept the investigation in-house before pointing fingers elsewhere.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
14
Articles
11
Reach
25
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor
