NASCAR Insider Lets Slip Goodyear’s Championship Plans Amidst Massive Bowman Gray Success

Chase Elliott knew he had to play it smart. As the laps wound down, he held back, carefully managing his tires while others pushed too hard too soon. When the moment was right, he made his move—storming to the front and seizing the lead position. His tire-saving strategy paid off, highlighting just how crucial tire performance is in NASCAR. For years, teams and fans alike have voiced concerns about inconsistent tire quality, but recent developments suggest a shift in the right direction.

While the recent exhibition at Bowman Gray Stadium may not directly impact short-track setups on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, it offered valuable insight into Goodyear’s ongoing efforts to improve racing conditions. A NASCAR insider breaks down how these tires held up and why they signal a promising 2025 season.

Bowman Gray has an impact on the tire strategy

A key takeaway from Bowman Gray was the significant tire falloff during each run. The chosen tire compound lost over a second in lap times as races progressed, highlighting NASCAR and Goodyear’s efforts to optimize tire degradation. This shift improved race quality by allowing drivers to manage their tires effectively rather than relying solely on track position.

Brad Moran, Cup Series Manager, explained the decision behind the tire choice, “Yeah, so what we did, NASCAR and Goodyear, we all consolidate on what our best plan is, and we went with the softest tire we had, which was our Martinsville fall tire. We weren’t so sure with the temperatures because they were pretty low and we weren’t sure how everything was going to react. But it was definitely the softest tire we had.” The softest tire compound in NASCAR’s arsenal was used at Bowman Gray despite concerns about cooler temperatures.

However, the results were favorable. Moran added, “I think it worked really well. They did get used up as they went, which is what we wanted. Not a lot of rubber was laid down on the track, and I’m sure that was because of the below 50 temperatures.” Tire selection remains a crucial factor in NASCAR, influencing pit strategy, driver performance, and race quality. The ongoing partnership between NASCAR and Goodyear aims to develop tires that encourage degradation, pushing drivers to manage their equipment wisely.

Moran confirmed, “If we get the results we want, we do have an open tire test scheduled the day after the (spring race) at Phoenix and we’ll probably end up developing a new tire going into Phoenix for the fall.” Looking ahead to the March 8-9 race weekend at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR will experiment with a dual-compound race featuring an ‘option tire’ similar to the one used at Richmond. At Richmond Raceway during the summer race back in 2024, NASCAR reintroduced the option tire concept. Each Cup Series team was allocated six sets of primary tires and two sets of option tires. The option tires provided increased grip and pace but wore out faster than the primary tires, adding a strategic element to the race.

This setup aimed to enhance competition by forcing teams to carefully manage tire wear and pit strategies. The data and insights gained from this experiment contributed to NASCAR’s decision to explore further tire innovations. For the upcoming race at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR will implement the same option tire protocols. Teams, similar to what happened at Richmond will have access to six sets of “Primary” tires. Along with that, they will also have two sets of “Option” tires on race day. For the practice session, there will be one set.

If the experiment proves to be eventful then this will be the protocol for the Phoenix finale that takes place in the fall. If it does happen, things will certainly look interesting. After the Bristol race last year when everyone was in a mad rush to save tires, racing was boring.

With NASCAR looking at ways of enhancing racing, Kevin Harvick pitched his ideas to improve the yearly Clash.

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Kevin Harvick argues that NASCAR should try out other local tracks

After the fun race at Bowman Gray, drivers have been under the consensus that the Clash should return to Bowman Gray. However, one NASCAS veteran who has been of the opinion that it is time for NASCAR to try out other local tracks as well is Kevin Harvick.

Speaking of how NASCAR could materialize on more aspects, he said, “I think if you have that exhibition event and you move it around like that, I think there’s something to moving it around. It’d be hard to take it away from Bowman Gray at this point because of the reaction to the fans and how good the racing was.”

Harvick also had some suggestions for NASCAR where it could hold the celebratory Clash. He further added, “Think about all the places that you could affect across the country throughout the year, especially in season. If you had a spring series, summer series… whatever you wanted to do. I mean there’s a million things you could do.”

While currently there are conjectures that the Clash might not return to Bowman Gray for the 2026 season, there hasn’t been any official confirmation from NASCAR yet.