Flat tires have been a real headscratcher for Goodyear and NASCAR this season. At Iowa Motor Speedway, five drivers, Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, and Tyler Reddick, had problems with their rubber, which forced a bunch of wrecks. Then there was a similar story at Bristol Motor Speedway, where drivers faced severe tire degradation that almost put the event in jeopardy. While a ‘fix’ for the tire fiasco may require more time, NASCAR has come up with an innovative solution for the problem.

Beginning with the upcoming race at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR will introduce rear damp lifters in the Cup Series cars to fix mobility issues and prevent underbody damage that is caused by flat tires.

A temporary solution to a longstanding problem?

The lifter system has been introduced to address key challenges faced by the Next Gen cars’ distinctive design features, such as 18-inch wheels and a single-lug nut configuration. With the lack of an inner liner and reduced ground clearance in case of a flat tire, the car can get “beached,”  which is not only disruptive for the race but can also damage the underbody of the car. Ahead of the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a rules bulletin was sent to teams about the lifter system, highlighting that the lifter system will help the car be raised off the ground by a few inches, helping safety crews take it back into the pit road.

Explaining how the lifter system works on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio as shared by Racer.com, NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said, “There’s a quick connect that will be connected or installed along the A-post of the Cup cars that when the track service worker gets there, they basically can take an air hose, if you will, and pump that up to the rear and the tire will lift up and then gives the drivers the ability to drive back to pit road.

“Today, we’re having to hook them up or push them; we’re way too far in the middle or deep end of having to get cars back to pit road so they can start their service. So, [we’re] trying to keep that more on the team’s side. As we get to the incident, plug in there, and put a little air to the rear lifters that basically pick up the back of the car. Then, when they get to pit road, there’s a valve there. They just hit the valve and the rear of the car will go back down,” Sawyer added.

Flat tire issues have been a longstanding problem in the Cup Series this season, with no real ‘fix’. NASCAR used the dolly extensively at Iowa Speedway earlier this year, particularly because of the amount of flat tires that drivers experienced on the track. However, the process was time-consuming and didn’t feel like a permanent solution to the real problem. While the lifter may cause fewer disruptions, how it will interact with the Next Gen car’s existing technology remains to be seen.

The lifter system could be a game-changer, especially concerning how NASCAR will approach vehicle recovery for the foreseeable future. While the end goal remains to prioritize driver safety while causing fewer disruptions during race operations, one can’t help but feel that the lifter system is a temporary solution to a bigger problem. Goodyear needs to get back into the drawing board to prevent the flat tire problem, and NASCAR needs to hold them accountable for the tire’s durability. Until that is fixed, the real problem will continue to be ignored.

What are the conditions laid out by NASCAR to use the lifter system?

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With the Paris Olympics break crawling towards an end, NASCAR fans are eagerly waiting for the action to resume at Richmond Raceway. However, the lifter system won’t be introduced in the Cup Series until August 14th, which is when teams will prepare for FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. According to conditions laid out by NASCAR, the lifter system will only be installed on the rear damper of the car, and not on the front wheels.

Moreover, the rear damper will need to be connected to a safety wire at all times, which should be at least 0.025 inches thick, while the other end of it must be attached to the piston. With the car going up and down because of the lifter system, this will help prevent any unpleasant scenarios from taking place. The system can also be only manually triggered through one-time disconnecting parts, which will be kept fully compressed until an official prompts its release.

In the coming weeks, NASCAR will keep a close eye on how effective the lifter system is in real-time scenarios. The present conditions laid out by the sanctioning body could change in the long term, based on the feedback provided by teams, and the results that are observed based on its implementation. However, it is a step in the right direction for NASCAR, as they look to make racing safer, and less disruptive for drivers, teams, and fans.

What are your thoughts about the lifter system? Let us know in the comments!