Ahead of the Bristol race, Chase Elliott better known for his measured comments on issues that would otherwise spike controversy, made a strong statement about the tire issues faced by the NASCAR community. The Hendrick Motorsports driver, having undergone a tire failure himself, addressed the complexities of tire management and the pressures faced by Goodyear.

While NASCAR teams didn’t shy away from pointing fingers at their sole tire manufacturer, Elliott found the root of the cause at a different place. The No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro driver shared his in-depth take on the same as he appeared for an interview on Sunday.

Chase Elliott thinks things need to be sorted out from both sides

Many drivers didn’t mince words while sharing their discontentment with the new tires. But, Chase Elliott took a more balanced approach as he chose to look at the bigger picture and suggest how both NASCAR teams and the tire manufacturer Goodyear can make it work. In a YouTube video uploaded by NASCAR reporter Peter Stratta, the HMS driver also mentioned how the tire manufacturer wouldn’t want their tires to fail, as that would affect sales.

Elliot said, “I think the teams would naturally figure out what the limitations are themselves, because none of them, we don’t want to tear up cars or crash or whatever. So you’ve got to figure out what that box is that, you know, that a tire can live in, and I think the teams, the drivers will figure out where that box is and kind of adjust from there, but we are really quick to make changes from that standpoint.

Over the years, the 28-year-old American driver has always stood by Goodyear in tough positions. Elliot added, “But I do think Goodyear’s in a really, really tough box to make a really durable tire that, you know, doesn’t make them look bad and have it do all the things that, you know, NASCAR wants them to do. We’ve made the sidewall as small as we’ve ever had it before. The cars are heavier than they’ve ever been. So you’re just you’re asking a lot out of them in my opinion”

Elliott also said he thinks that it is also due to the heavy weight of the next-gen car which generates extra pressure downwards, thereby affecting the performance of tires. On the other hand, Goodyear also shared how they are unable to understand why the tires are acting up.

Goodyear reacts to NASCAR tire failures

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NASCAR races have been marred by a series of unexpected tire failures, leading to chaotic race conditions and raising safety concerns among drivers and teams. At the Bristol Motor Speedway, many drivers could find their tires with almost no rubber left on them. Even Goodyear executives were left confused as to what was happening, which was evident in the brand Director for Race Tire Sales, Greg Stucker’s words.

According to RacingNews.Co, Stucker said, “We tested here last year with the intent to come up with a tire package that generated more tire wear. That was the request from NASCAR and the teams. Now, we’re trying to understand what’s different. Why is the racetrack behaving differently than a year ago? It’s the same package, the same tire combination.

The Director further added, “Obviously, the difference is resin was placed on the lower groove instead of PJ1. But, I still think the racetrack should be taking rubber. Still an unknown as to why it’s not behaving the same way. It’s still a tough situation and we’re going to have to try to understand exactly what’s happening. And adjust from there.” 

However, after the race, NASCAR officials also weren’t sure if much had to be changed. NASCAR’s senior vice president of innovation and racing development, John Probs revealed, “All in all, I thought it was one of the best short-track races I’ve ever seen.. We’ll go back and look at it all. There were times in the race obviously when there was anxiety around are we going to have enough tires to finish it. But, man, coming out at the end and watching all that, I would not want to change much at all honestly… Maybe just give them more tires.”

Safe to say both NASCAR and Goodyear have a long way to go before they can give drivers what they actually want.

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