We all can agree that brake rotors are among the least glamorous parts of a NASCAR stock car, but when they fail, the consequences can be immediate and catastrophic. Early in the Next Gen era, brake rotor failures became one of the car’s most feared reliability issues in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, triggering several frightening crashes before largely fading from the spotlight in 2025 and early 2026. That is why alarm bells started ringing again at Nashville when Trackhouse Racing saw both Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch suffer rotor-related problems, leaving Shane van Gisbergen nervously wondering if he would be next.

Trackhouse Racing’s double failure at Nashville

SVG: “Well, f***, now I’m worried about mine (brakes).” No. 97 team: “Ah, you should be fine. They were a lot different than we were.”

While it may seem like initially, but for Shane van Gisbergen, that moment of panic over the radio wasn’t an overreaction. It was the natural response after watching two of his Trackhouse Racing teammates suffer nearly identical failures within a matter of laps at Nashville Superspeedway.

The trouble started when Connor Zilisch abruptly lost his ability to brake as he entered the corner on lap 72 of the Cracker Barrel 400. The second caution flag of the race was raised after the rookie crashed his No. 88 Chevrolet into the wall. Flames were visible around the right front wheel as the damaged vehicle came to a stop.

“Rotor exploded,” Zilisch reported over the radio.

The situation quickly worsened when the young driver informed the team that he had no brake pedal at all following the impact. His race ended immediately as Trackhouse sent the car to the garage for repairs. And then things went from bad to worse for Trackhouse Racing as just nine laps later disaster struck again.

Ross Chastain appeared to suffer a similar brake-related failure entering Turn 1. The No. 1 Chevrolet shot into the wall on lap 81, while Michael McDowell spun trying to avoid the incident. Before the unexpected mechanical problem terminated his race, Chastain was in 14th place and appeared ready for another strong points day.

Two Trackhouse Racing cars eliminated by apparent rotor failures within nine laps was enough to make anyone in the organization nervous, including van Gisbergen. But, the concern was also rooted in NASCAR history. Brake rotor failures have already altered championship outcomes during the Next Gen era.

During the 2023 Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Christopher Bell had to learn the lesson the hard way. Bell had a chance to win his first Cup Series championship going into the competition, but a persistent brake fade throughout the first part of the race turned into something far worse.

His Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota’s right-front rotor burst as the car entered Turn 3 on lap 108 while he was running sixth. Bell’s race and chances of winning the title were immediately over when he crashed violently into the wall. It remains one of the most costly brake failures of the Next Gen era.

The science behind the failures is relatively straightforward. NASCAR brake rotors endure extreme temperatures generated by repeated heavy braking. As heat builds, the metal expands. Under certain conditions, the expansion can create contact between the rotor and brake caliper, placing enormous stress on the component. Once a crack forms, the rotor can shatter catastrophically. Track configuration, cooling limitations, aggressive braking zones, and the physical demands of the Next Gen braking package can all contribute to the issue.

It’s still unclear which one of the particular elements were the cause of Trackhouse Racing’s failures. However, one of the Next Gen car’s most infamous early-era issues abruptly came back into the forefront for a few tense moments at Nashville. And after watching two teammates crash out because of it, van Gisbergen’s blunt radio reaction probably reflected what every NASCAR fan was thinking.