The Brake Challenge: How Gateway Strains NASCAR Cup Series Stopping Systems

The Enjoy Illinois 300 unfolded largely as anticipated.

Brake problems were abundant on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway, a recurring issue at circuits featuring long straights and heavy braking zones. Similar concerns have arisen at Loudon, Nashville, and Phoenix since the introduction of the current-generation Cup car in 2022.

Experiencing these brake difficulties in Gateway’s inaugural race under the new high‑horsepower, low‑downforce short‑track package was hardly surprising. Increased straight‑line speed coupled with reduced rear spoiler effectiveness left cars with less aerodynamic drag to slow them down.

Several Chase for the Championship contenders experienced brake failures.

Zane Smith crashed hard at the end of Stage 2 after a rotor failure. Ryan Blaney struck the front‑stretch wall on lap 155 while running sixth. Chase Elliott suffered a brake failure on lap 214, collecting Chase Briscoe.

Those three drivers were all championship contenders.

Chris Buescher, a lower‑seeded Chase participant, also crashed due to brake failure, triggering the final caution with three laps remaining. Throughout the event, multiple drivers reported a long pedal and diminishing brake pressure.

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports

Photo by: Jeff Curry / Getty Images

Jonathan Hassler, Blaney’s crew chief, acknowledged that his team failed to provide adequate brake cooling with their chosen setup.

“Gateway has always been a place that’s tough on brakes,” Hassler told NASCAR.com after the race. “We’ve been on the good side of it before, but we knew there was a little more demand with this package. We certainly were trying to be conservative, but still didn’t give it enough cooling, I don’t think.”

Denny Hamlin, the points leader, said he was on the verge of a brake failure by the race’s conclusion.

“I would say I was on the verge,” Hamlin said. “I had long pedal those last two restarts, so that’s the indication you’re usually about to blow one.”

Some teams managed sufficient cooling; Bubba Wallace reported no issues after the race while battling for a top‑five finish.

“Yeah, my car was fine,” Wallace said. “We’ve really worked on our brake package a lot over the last six years. And we feel like the 23 group has got into a really good spot for brakes. So, mine felt brand new to the finish.”

William Byron crossed the line fourth, relying on crew chief Rudy Fugle to manage his brakes to the finish.

Fugle noted that the car has struggled with brake wear since the season’s outset, especially at tracks with long straightaways such as Gateway, Phoenix, and Nashville. He added that brake problems have affected many competitors across manufacturers, leaving teams limited to adjusting brake pads.

He explained that the team prioritizes survival over outright performance at these circuits, monitoring pedal feel. A long pedal can signal imminent rotor loss, as pumping brakes builds heat; therefore they advise the driver to limit pumping and wait for a caution.

NASCAR allows teams to choose which brand and type of brake pads they can run from any vendor.

Garage chatter linked Ferodo brake pads to troubles at Nashville and New Hampshire. James Small, crew chief for Chase Briscoe, told NASCAR.com that Iowa’s difficulties mirrored a problem seen in the REPCO Supercars Series.

Expanded practice sessions, which add extra laps, may heighten brake‑failure risk.

Daniels pointed out that the added lap count increases brake‑pad wear and thermal cycles. During extended practice, teams run two sets of tires; after switching to the second set, the car sits, creating a rapid cooling cycle unlike a typical pit stop.

You have the thermal‑cycle aspect because you have the pad‑wear aspect; both factors influence the overall threshold heading into a day like today.

Daniels noted that his standard brake package rarely causes issues at these venues, boosting his confidence.

“I would say typically for us, we have learned a brake package that has a good balance of grip and feel,” Daniels said. “It is a very common package. There’s nothing special. There’s nothing tricky. We run that at every one of these track types from Loudon to Phoenix to Gateway.”

He called it a ‘standard’ package.

NASCAR rules do not allow teams to change brake pads after practice sessions and before the race the next day. Teams can change their pads after the green flag comes out but that would require losing several laps behind the wall.

Daniels suggested that permitting a pad change before the race could ease problems, provided NASCAR requires the same pads used during initial technical inspection.

“I wonder as we get towards more practice, having two sets of tires, which in my view is really good for the sport (and) good for the fans, (but) it’s also a lot more duty cycles on the brakes,” Daniels said.

“Part of the conversation might be to consider in the future after we have these longer practice sessions at the Nashvilles, Loudons, Gateways, Phoenix, tracks that are notorious heavy brake‑demand tracks — do we allow the teams to put like‑for‑like changes, brake rotors and pads, on the cars going into the race?”

“I’m sure that would be a topic that could be kicked around.”

Ultimately, his direct supervisor, Jeff Gordon, says teams are in too tight of a box and this sort of dynamic is only present because of a very restrictive rule book.

“I better be careful how I answer that, because I don’t want to overstep,” Gordon said. “I feel like the reason we’re in this position is because we’re so limited. We need more options and more ability. If we want to cool more, cool more. If we want a different pad …”

“I mean, I was glad to see them at least look at rotors and things. But this track is really extreme on brakes. I would just like to see NASCAR and the teams work a little bit more together with the brake manufacturers to try to find a solution for here.”

“I mean, our cars are notorious hard on brakes in general, then hard on them here. I feel like with the right amount of effort, they can come up with a solution.  We shouldn’t be coming here with teams feeling like the margins are that close. I think every team came in here nervous. When they dropped the green, they were nervous.”

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