History will be made in Richmond. For the first time ever, crew chiefs will have the option to choose between dual tire compounds in a NASCAR Cup Series race. While the rules are yet to be fleshed out by NASCAR, orders have already been placed for the option tires for the short track event in Virginia, which will take place on August 10–11. Just like the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the Federated Auto Parts 400 will feature the same combination of tires.

Comparing the horsepower-to-grip ratio to the race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson’s crew chiefs, Chris Gabehart and Clifton Daniels, backed each other’s views amidst rising tension between their drivers.

Clifton Daniels echoes Chris Gabehart’s views

Just like North Wilkesboro, Richmond Raceway will feature the same combination as the All-Star race, comprising the primary left-side D-5208 and right-side D-5220 and the option left-side D-5224 and right-side D-5226. The race will also feature a wet weather package, which has been lauded for its effectiveness in damp conditions, particularly in New Hampshire earlier this season.

Unlike the race at North Wilkesboro, which is freshly paved, Richmond’s track is more abrasive and short, which will produce more speed but cause higher tire degradation.

With NASCAR’s short-track races coming under scrutiny for the lack of entertainment value they present, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, emphasized once again increasing the horsepower or reducing the tire width for more entertainment. Gabehart said on Sportsnaut, “It’s the horsepower to grip ratio. And if we are not going to work on the horsepower, then we need to work on how much grip we have.”

Kyle Larson’s crew chief, Clifton Daniels, echoed the Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief’s sentiments as he said, “Chris Gabehart, in my opinion, has articulated this very well, where the cars are just overly-gripped and under-powered. So how do you solve that? Certainly adding a higher grip tire with some fall-off is an interesting way to do it. But at the end of the day, if we had less of a tire footprint to work with or a higher horsepower footprint (which will) get us over the limit of the tire to where right now, we’re not.”

Despite the rising tension between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin over the last few weeks, their crew chiefs, Chris Gabehart and Clifton Daniels, have always enjoyed a cordial relationship. Both the crew chiefs have shown mutual respect towards each other in front of the media and tend to agree on a lot of controversial decisions taken by NASCAR.

It wasn’t the first time Gabehart had spoken about the ratio between horsepower and grip, and Daniels agreed with his views without even knowing they were reiterated during the weekend in Chicago.

Unlike the 200-lap All-Star race at North Wilkesboro, Richmond Raceway is a track that is prone to long green flag runs, which makes it interesting to see how teams use their tire options. The biggest question will be, given how abrasive the track is, will using the optional tires even make sense?

Will the softer tires make enough of an impact before they wear out to be a viable option for teams to go with? NASCAR drivers also had some valuable insights about how dual tire compounds could affect their race.

Drivers on NASCAR dual-tire options

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Denny Hamlin and Chris Gabehart have established their dominance in the NASCAR Cup Series over the last few years after meticulously framing a race strategy that plays to their strengths. Despite knowing that the dual tire option could take away that advantage, Hamlin conceded that the option is what’s best for the sport and improves the short-track package in the long run.

“Personally, on the 11 car, do we love throwing in these kinks, no, we’d rather race straight up and see how it plays out,” Hamlin said. “At the same time, I understand why we’re doing it and applaud Goodyear for trying it just to see if we can come up with a better primary tire long-term for short tracks. A lot of this will depend on what this tire does — is it fast for three laps or 10 or 15?”

Additionally, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Preece, who is still to figure out his NASCAR future, backed NASCAR’s decision, especially because it can level the playing field for drivers at the back of the grid. The 33-year-old is currently the only driver on the team without a seat next season after Noah Gragson signed for Front Row Motorsport.

With a background in Tour Type Modified Racing where just one tire compound can be taken anytime and anywhere on the car, Preece is accustomed to reshuffling the grid. The unpredictability of races could positively influence his chances for a seat, having secured just one top 5 and two top 10 finishes this season.

When asked if Preece was on board, he replied, “Absolutely. It creates strategy, and opportunity because right now our biggest thing is passing and if that option tire creates a difference in speed, and track position opportunities, that’s a good thing. It’s just going to come down to their R&D processes and getting that compound right.”

Do you think NASCAR’s dual tire option is a good idea? Let us know in the comments!