“It was a 100% success.” Denny Hamlin’s verdict was clear after Goodyear’s comeback in Phoenix. Ever since the Joe Gibbs Racing driver dominated a tire-wear, strategy-based race in Bristol last spring, Goodyear and NASCAR strove to improve the short-track racing package for all races. They hit a few failures at North Wilkesboro and Richmond, but the 2025 Shriner’s Children 500 proved Goodyear’s improvement. However, NASCAR wants to take a back seat now.

The improvement in the racing package in Phoenix was widely visible. Drivers like Joey Logano and Ty Dillon used the option tires and primary tires well. It offered interesting strategy shuffles to the Cup Series grid – but NASCAR’s reverse plan surprised an insider.

NASCAR may be choosing to retrogress

Ever since the Next-Gen car debuted in 2022, one complaint has been overarching among drivers. The new car increased parity in the race field, as racers had less control over their moves. This problem surfaced in short tracks especially. So, Goodyear’s battle for a better short-track racing package was mainly to satisfy drivers. And they came dangerously close to doing so in the Phoenix race two weeks ago. According to Goodyear executive Mark Keto, the tires were “around 2.2 or 2.3 seconds of fall-off over a forty to fifty lap run.” That was double the fall-off seen in the primary tires.

Yet Bob Pockrass dropped the disappointing piece of news on X. NASCAR is apparently not going forward with option tires again this season. “No two different versions of tires this weekend and not expected to have teams choose among two versions (primary and an option) during a race again this year,” he wrote. This news was jaw-dropping for NASCAR expert, Eric Estepp. “That news kind of surprises me – I can’t say I’m a huge fan,” he said.

The enormous fall-off in Phoenix left veterans like Denny Hamlin heart-warmed. Ty Dillon, who usually runs slowly, saved his tires to attempt a late run for the win while others burned theirs up quickly. So Eric Estepp continued what a big opportunity NASCAR is letting go of. “I thought the Phoenix option tire was OP. It was so much faster than the primes, and it didn’t wear out that quick…allowed for more passing, some more comers and goers. But it also introduced a huge luck factor. Suddenly, 25th-place cars with no chance of winning could hold off, gamble, and hope for a late-race caution to fall their way…Basically, the strategy that Ty Dillon had employed.”

Eventually, Estepp concluded that the option tires would have been a massive boost this season. He named a slew of other races where NASCAR and Goodyear could have garnered the respect of drivers. “Option tires – two different tire combinations on the same weekend – absolutely has a place on other tracks on the schedule. For example, Richmond last Fall benefitted…North Wilkesboro, maybe some of the road courses this summer that are already strategy-heavy races would be more interesting with an option tire.”

We all saw it at Bristol last year. Kyle Larson expressed what he felt about the option tires post race, saying, “I felt like, 500 laps, rubber down race, and you don’t know how your tires are wearing. Yeah, so it was a bit weird, but I am happy overall to come over in 5th (place).” This sentiment echoes with many other drivers> However, drivers who fell victim to tire wear at Phoenix, not being able to manage it, could have a varying opinion about the impact.

Although Eric Estepp may be shocked at the news of the tire making a comeback in multiple other tracks this year, he is okay with one part of it. NASCAR is apparently making a good call on at least one short track this season.

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Replicating the Fall race

Well, one part of Bob Pockrass’ tweet was a relief for Eric Estepp. That part read, “Tires for Martinsville weekend are the same as November.” During the playoff race last November at Martinsville Speedway, Goodyear innovated slightly. They used the option tires used in Richmond and North Wilkesboro on the right side. But on the left side, the new rubber billed as the “softest” in Goodyear’s portfolio was the tire of choice. The results were thrilling, to say the least. From Christopher Bell executing a superb wall ride – which was penalized, though – to William Byron getting caught in the thick of controversy, the tires produced exciting racing.

Eric Estepp sanctioned NASCAR’s decision to go with the same combination that was used in that race. He said, “I am fine with no option tires at Martinsville this weekend. Same tires as the Fall race? Good with me. The Fall race was really damn good. I know the finish was clouded by controversy, race manipulation. But that Fall tire combo had Martinsville looking like Martinsville again. Most passing we’ve seen at the paperclip in the Next-Gen era…I’d like to see if we can recreate that.”

Evidently, NASCAR hitting the brakes on Goodyear’s improvement is not drumming up a positive response. Let us see if the fan sentiment grows strong enough for the sport to reconsider its decision.