Tire management will be on every driver’s mind ahead of the second playoff race at Watkins Glen International. The 2.45-mile road course has been traditionally dominated by Hendrick Motorsports in the past, as NASCAR’s most successful team has won each of the last five races on the track. However, with Goodyear introducing a new tire formula with greater falloff, no driver except for Joey Logano, who won the opening playoff race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will be feeling safe.

‘The Glen’ has featured fairly straightforward races in the past, with fuel mileage playing an important role in teams devising their race strategy. With a new tire compound in the mix, Denny Hamlin believes that it could be a game-changer and lead to a more interesting outcome in the race.

Denny Hamlin believes softer compound will empower drivers

NASCAR has been struggling with improving its short-track and road course packages for a long time. Ever since the Next-Gen car was introduced in 2022, the sanctioning body has tested a variety of aerodynamic and underbody components, with no significant results to show for it. To try and find a solution, the organization has asked Goodyear to develop softer tires, which would create more falloff as the race progresses, giving drivers and teams overtaking opportunities and the chance to devise innovative strategies to get a competitive advantage.

After a disastrous opening playoff race, Denny Hamlin is hoping that Goodyear’s soft tire formula will give him an advantage now that the race isn’t entirely dependent on fuel mileage. When asked in a video uploaded by Frontstretch if the tire falloff would play into his hands, the veteran said, “I mean, certainly yes is the short answer. I feel better about it, but you’re still going to have cars pressing you and wanting to go and it’s then you’re going to have to weigh that option of do you let them go and lose that track position and then count on getting them back. It’s going to be interesting for sure, so I certainly like, you know, the tire fall of it. Certainly puts it more in the driver’s hands than what we’ve had.”

It’s easy to understand why Hamlin feels that the softer compound will empower drivers to decide their fate at Watkins Glen. The 43-year-old could ditch the conservative approach that we saw at Atlanta Motor Speedway and gain track positions in the early stages of the race if he wishes. However, he would have to run the risk of being forced to pit much earlier. Also, he could choose to play the longer game, hoping to gain track positions as the race progresses by preserving his tires for a longer time. For drivers, it’s an empowering feeling that they remain in control of their fate, in comparison to being dictated by fuel mileage like in the past.

Last year, William Byron led 66 laps at Watkins Glen International, finishing 2.632 seconds ahead of second Denny Hamlin to secure a race victory. This time around, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran is hoping for a different outcome, aiming to use his experience and skill to conserve his tires over 90 laps. Could Goodyear’s intervention finally break Hendrick Motorsports’ dominance at ‘The Glen’? It will all depend on who gets their race strategy right, with Denny Hamlin and his crew chief Chris Gabehart hoping that the No. 11 Toyota will finally enter Victory Lane after a 16-race winless streak.

Goodyear is optimistic softer tires will improve race quality

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As it turns out, Denny Hamlin isn’t the only prominent figure in NASCAR who is optimistic about Goodyear’s involvement at Watkins Glen International. Earlier this year, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, and Tyler Reddick were involved in a two-day tire test on the road course, where a total of six different compounds were tested. All three drivers indicated that the softer tires lost anywhere between two to five seconds’ worth of lap time, which could make the 2024 Go Bowling at The Glen very interesting if the trend continues.

Giving details about the new softer tire compound, Goodyear’s Director of Racing Greg Stucker said, “Based on our test, and a subsequent [Wheel-Force] test with the manufacturers, we should see around three seconds of fall-off per lap over a run. That, of course, can mean more passing throughout the race. It’s always tricky on road courses as drivers take advantage of a limited number of ‘passing zones,’ so the increased fall-off should lead to more comers and goers as some drivers manage their tires and gain on the field as the runs go on.”

It would be interesting to see how the new tires change the race dynamics at Watkins Glen International. Will it live up to its promise of giving drivers overtaking opportunities on the 2.45-mile road course? That remains to be seen, but all indications point towards an action-packed playoff race. With stakes higher than ever, one can’t help but feel that Goodyear’s intervention has leveled the playing field for every driver, making the outcome far more interesting.

Do you think Goodyear’s soft tire compound will improve the race quality at ‘The Glen’? Let us know in the comments!