JGR and 23XI scramble as Toyota battles brake issues at Iowa
Denny Hamlin is going to the rear to start the NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway on Sunday due to a cooling unit change made within the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 in the moments leading up to the green flag. Hamlin joins Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott at the rear of the field after the latter two crashed during qualifying and practice on Saturday afternoon. During those sessions, Hamlin ...…
JGR and 23XI Racing teams are scrambling to address brake issues that have plagued their respective drivers at Iowa Speedway. Denny Hamlin will start the NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear due to brake cooling unit changes made within the JGR No. 11. Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott are also at the rear after crashing during qualifying and practice.
Both Hamlin and JGR teammate Chase Briscoe experienced brake problems during Saturday's sessions. 23XI Racing's three cars faced issues to varying degrees. JGR crew chief Chris Gayle is unsure if the pre-race changes will allow them to compete at full capacity, while Briscoe's situation is more severe with destroyed brake pads. NASCAR rules prevent brake pad changes unless confirmed by manufacturer PFC Brakes, which has not occurred.
Teams can bleed their brakes before the race. The brake damage is believed to stem from aggressive setup choices made by the teams using data from the JGR-23XI technical alliance, in preparation for the upcoming Chase for the Championship. Riley Herbst is the worst affected, while Bubba Wallace's team remains cautiously optimistic, and Tyler Reddick seems the most prepared to race as normal.
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