Brickyard 400 crashes: Kyle Larson, Daniel Dye out due to tire issues

INDIANAPOLIS — Tire issues played a role in multiple cautions during Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including one that ended defending race winner Kyle Larson's afternoon.

Larson's bid for a Brickyard 400 victories came to an early end on Lap 45 when a left-rear tire failed entering Turn 3. Running second after an early green-flag pit stop put him in position to inherit the lead, Larson spun his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into the outside wall.

"Obviously disappointing," Larson said. "(We) set ourselves up well to maintain that track position the rest of the race. It's a bummer, but it's just a part of racing."

"I had no warning, when I lifted I felt it drop and spun," Larson said.

Later in the race, Daniel Dye became the next driver to see his day cut short after crashing on Lap 96.

Dye lost control of his No. 78 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet exiting Turn 3 and hit the wall, bringing out the third caution of the race. The caution carried through the conclusion of Stage 2.

"I thought it was the right rear, but I don't have enough laps in the Cup car to know what a flat tire feels like," Dye said. "I think it was a left rear that blew about three quarters of the way down the back stretch, and at that point to get it slowed down enough, and then it just looped around."

"Did my best to keep it off the wall, and ultimately, just slammed into the wall," Dye said. "Crappy end to a day that we thought we had a little bit of an opportunity to have a decent run for what our 78 crew is."

Later in the race, a multi-car crash on Lap 120 brought out the fifth caution of the afternoon and collected several contenders.

The incident began when Ryan Blaney was spun after contact with John Hunter Nemechek, sending the No. 12 Team Penske Ford into the wall entering Turn 3. Nine cars in total were caught up in the crash.

Blaney fell to 31st following the incident, dealing a significant blow to both his Brickyard 400 hopes and his standing in NASCAR's in-season challenge. With fewer than 40 laps remaining, Todd Gilliland was running 21st, putting Blaney on the back foot in the head-to-head matchup.

This story will be updated as additional cautions and crashes occur during the Brickyard 400.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Brickyard 400 crashes: Kyle Larson, Daniel Dye out due to tire issues

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