Ryan Blaney exited Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway early due to an apparent brake failure on Lap 155.
Blaney entered the second race of The Chase presented by Mobil 1 third in the championship standings, just 16 points behind series leader Denny Hamlin.
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The 2023 Cup Series champion, Blaney was running in sixth place when video showed the brake rotor on the right-front wheel explode through the hood of Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Blaney kept his car against the wall through Turns 1 and 2 to scrub speed before ultimately driving to the garage.
Blaney exited the car under his own power and was eventually evaluated and released from the infield care center.
MORE: Blaney discusses Gateway wreck
Blaney was the second driver to experience an apparent brake failure, joining Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith, who crashed on Lap 131 with a hard hit into Turn 1. Blaney was saddled with a 35th-place finish with 16 points earned — 14 due to his two fourth-place stage finishes earlier in the event. Unofficially, Blaney leaves Gateway fourth in the points standings, 33 points back of Hamlin.
This story will be updated.