“Something is fu**ing broken”: Noah Gragson delivers worrisome update during Indianapolis Cup race

Noah Gragson radioed to his team that something was broken during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Front Row Motorsports driver had a flat tire early in the race, causing him to drop multiple laps down.

Gragson, 27, started the race in 18th before coming in for a pit stop on lap 26, along with former FRM driver Michael McDowell for the same reason. After a lengthy pit stop, the #4 Ford Mustang returned to the racetrack outside the top 30.

NASCAR Insider Kelly Crandall caught Noah Gragson's radio message and posted about it on X.

“Noah Gragson: ‘Something is fucking broken.’”

Gragson isn't the only driver who suffered a flat tire at the 2.5-mile Indy track. Austin Cindric, who led for 40 laps, blew a tire while running in first place on lap 84. Since no caution was thrown, Cindric eventually rejoined the race a lap down.

As of lap 93, Gragson is running in 35th ahead of four drivers who retired from the Brickyard 400, namely Cody Ware, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ross Chastain. This outing follows a string of top 40 finishes in the last three races.

Noah Gragson drives the #4 Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports - Source: Imagn

After 21 races, the Las Vegas native has amassed one top-5 (fourth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway) and three top-10s. He also has six DNFs, which cost him points and rank him 33rd in the standings.

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“Gonna be sick af”: Noah Gragson on NASCAR's trailer of new street race in California

Last week, NASCAR released a trailer of the new San Diego Weekend on Naval Base Coronado featuring several drivers, including Noah Gragson. In the three-minute video, the drivers were abducted for a mission where they flew on fighter jets and outran the police.

In an X post, Gragson shared his thoughts on the trailer.

“So badass filming this with the boys. Lot of laughs! I can't wait. Gonna be sick af,” he wrote.

NASCAR has yet to disclose the full details of the San Diego Weekend. The track layout is expected to be three miles long, almost a mile longer than the outgoing Chicago street race, where Gragson finished 30th earlier this year. While the Chicago street race is sidelined for the 2026 season, it is expected to return in 2027.

The new street race will host all three of NASCAR's national series (Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck). The inaugural event will also coincide with the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary celebration.

With a multi-year deal with Front Row Motorsports, Noah Gragson is expected to race in the San Diego Weekend next year. This season marks his first year with the team following a one-year stint with Stewart-Haas Racing, a Ford-affiliated team that ceased its operations after the 2024 season.

Gragson runs alongside Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith, who drives the team's newly added third car (#38 Ford Mustang). They are one of the youngest driver lineups on the grid with an average age of 26.

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Edited by Luke Koshi