Brad Keselowski’s Ace Reveals Goodyear’s Hand Behind North Wilkesboro Excitement Amid All-Star Spotlight

May 19, 2024 | 8:21 PM EDT

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Short tracks in NASCAR are more than just raceways. They are relics that reverberate with old stories and traditions of the game. Though not suited for these tracks, the Next Gen cars don’t undermine their credibility in any way. The reason is that short tracks like North Wilkesboro Speedway are symbolic of NASCAR’s glorified past. RFK Racing tells this tale from its rich history at North Wilkesboro. But fast forward to 2024, the current day RFK may be looking at a different race, compared to the past.

The North Wilkesboro track has been revitalized. All thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr’s extensive efforts. This development is now coupled with poor weather conditions. This implies that tire strategy is at the forefront. But as per Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher, Goodyear’s tire options could be vital in navigating adverse weather conditions and making the race fun overall.

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Chris Buescher tips his hat to Goodyear for their North Wilkesboro efforts

Bob Prockass is known for providing nothing but the best insider content to fans. This time, he talked to Chris Buescher & Brad Keselowski and put up the interview on Twitter. Chris Buescher does much of the talking with Brad seated next to him. The discussion revolved around the strategic tire choice ahead of the upcoming All-Star race.

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Here’s what Chris had to say: “I know we’re staring at, well, they’re all black from this side, but I know one of those is red and yellow, and, you know, we have different options to give a go here. That’s red? Okay. So that’s speed [Red], that’s [Yellow] endurance, is our guess here. And that’s no-go [rain tire]. And I guess with that, I mean, it’s opening up opportunities for this race. Perfect example. Give us an opportunity to go try something.”

On Friday, Chris Buescher was talking about tires. You can’t see them but the wet weather tire was on the left (his right), the red softer tire (option) was in the middle and the yellow regular tire (primary) on the other side. pic.twitter.com/CXCUOPmpCN
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 19, 2024

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With this, drivers and teams would need to find the right strategic balance between endurance and speed. Goodyear’s tires will be tested to their very core. Well-planned and executed pit stops will determine whether a team gains time over its rivals and makes every second count. Some incidents in the past are reminiscent of how well the teams handled the weather crisis.

RFK Racing’s recent victory in Darlington has brought them back into the spotlight. They have justified it very well by securing an impressive line-up position for the All-Star Race. Buescher at P5 and Keselowski at P2. As they already have a starting position advantage, the right choice of tires would only give them an edge over others.

But since we are on this subject, how has the right choice of tires come along in the history of NASCAR? How much role has it played in determining a team’s winning chances?

Chronicles of Wood Brothers Racing

Rewind to NASCAR 1980 Coca-Cola 600, when a team’s decisive role in tire selection brought them success under rainy conditions. This unusually long race at Charlotte Motor Speedway saw several tire failures, 14 cautions, and two red flags. The endurance and strategy of all the teams involved were tested as the race lasted for around 7 hours. It was a testing time for all the teams involved.

Wood Brothers Racing came out of this chaotic environment with flying colors. Neil Bonnett, who was driving for this team, managed to navigate through adverse conditions and numerous incidents on the track. Thanks to the team’s strategic choice of tires and timely pitstop, he secured an impressive 5th position at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

There’s no doubt that RFK Racing, with its legacy in NASCAR, can overlook the need for good tires and timely pit stops. And with the presser, perhaps they were establishing a place of power, now that they are back in the limelight. If that’s the case, other teams need to watch out as RFK is the present show-stealer.