Goodyear’s Director Warns Cup Teams Against North Wilkesboro Strategy Choice Amidst Plans of ‘Option Tire’ Repeat

The NASCAR All-Star Race is known for its innovative approaches and never fails to amaze fans. This year’s introduction of a new tire strategy at the storied North Wilkesboro Speedway continues that tradition. Following a tire test, officials have opted to pursue a more assertive tire wear strategy, inspired by a successful high-wear tire event at Bristol, giving teams a variety of tire compounds, including soft, medium, and hard. The ‘option tire’ is anticipated to be akin to the material used for wet-weather tires, albeit designed as a slick tire.

However, the director of Goodyear has alerted NASCAR Cup teams to be mindful of their strategic decisions for the eminent All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Particularly due to the reintroduction of the ‘option tire’ strategy.

Did the Goodyear director hint at experimentation-based changes?

Ahead of the much anticipated All-Star race, Goodyear director Greg Stucker opens up in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR. He chiefly discussed the option tire strategy and their plans to extend it if both Goodyear and NASCAR want it to remain.

Stucker said, “The other thing I think, is to be determined at North Wilkesboro is the wet weather compound. Is that really the best option? I think it’s something we’ve evaluated, something we can go to quickly for the All-Star race. But, it may not be the best choice for an option tire. But this weekend in North Wilkesboro will give some direction on what we would want to do, if we were to change that, and be prepared for the next call round of the option tire. If NASCAR and we, so chose to do that.”

He suggested that Richmond might be a feasible option for that. Although he admitted to being somewhat hasty and acknowledged that there were still some uncertainties, he emphasized the fact that they had already run on a dry Richmond track and experienced the rain tire compound there. Earlier, Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior VP, stressed the significance of tire management in this race, noting that the tires will not endure for extended periods.

As a result, each team will have access to two sets of ‘option tires’ and two sets of ‘prime tires’ to use throughout the race. The availability of these diverse tire options will certainly challenge the drivers’ ability to manage their tires effectively. This is solely because softer compounds offer speed but deteriorate faster. This introduces a tactical element to the race, requiring teams to deliberate on their tire choices and how they manage them during the race. The focus is now on the crew chiefs and drivers to craft the optimal tire strategy.

Drivers reacting to the tire change strategy

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Tire strategy can have a significant impact on the outcome of a race, especially in a high-stakes event like the NASCAR All-Star Race. Softer tires can quicken lap times but also wear down faster, prompting teams to weigh the immediate speed benefits against the need for long-term tire endurance. Effective timing of pit stops for tire changes can provide teams with a competitive edge. Whereas, any missteps could lead to losing track positions. What do the drivers think about this? Here’s JGR’s angle on the tire wear strategy.

Kevin Harvick posed the dilemma of choosing between tire wear and power. Acknowledging NASCAR’s firm stance on power regulations, Martin Truex Jr opted for tire wear. He suggested that if this wear could be balanced, they could confidently run 60 laps without any issues.

After emerging victorious at Bristol, his teammate Denny Hamlin has offered his insights on achieving an optimal equilibrium of tire wear for future races. He said, “You want to have certain aspects where you can go 100 percent. I agree; at max, it was like 90 percent on any given lap. But again the teams could make adjustments; if nothing changes. We can go back to same tire, same conditions. I have full faith the teams would fix most of the problem.”

Considering NASCAR Overtime Rules, teams must factor in the potential for additional laps in their tire strategy plans. The successful execution of a tire strategy can steer a team to victory. On the other hand, a flawed approach has the potential to thwart their racing aspirations. It’s a delicate balance that requires knowledge, experience, and sometimes a bit of luck.

Discuss your thoughts on the tire-changing strategies and the impacts on racing that you think would follow.