The Cup Series playoffs are here, with 16 drivers ready to battle for NASCAR’s most coveted title. Kicking off at Atlanta Motor Speedway and wrapping up at Phoenix Raceway, where the 2024 champion will be crowned, top contenders include Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Ryan Blaney.

Christopher Bell is one to watch. The 29-year-old has already won three Cup Series races this year, two at tracks that will host playoff races—Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Round of 12 and Phoenix Raceway for the Championship 4. However, this year’s playoffs come with changes. NASCAR’s introduction of option tires has sparked debate, and Bell hasn’t held back. He’s voiced his displeasure with the new tires, offering some strong points against the reform.

Christopher Bell lashes out at the Option Tires Rule

The world of NASCAR racing saw the introduction of a new set of option tires at this year’s NASCAR All-Star race held at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. The aim behind these option tires was to enhance driver control and speed in the race. Additionally, these tires provided better grip and improved the car’s performance during the crucial moments of the race. However, some serious concerns lurked around as the tires made their debut at the Richmond Raceway during its first NASCAR Cup Series points race.

Once the new set of tires and the surrounding rules had settled, the concerns became more prominent. Christopher Bell became the recent name to express his skepticism about the new tires. Talking about it on Dale Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media, Bell said, “The option tire. Does it produce comers and goers? It does but it also if you’re not good then you’re gonna do the opposite, right? So what do we want the champion to be? Do we want the champion to be the best car or do we want to be the guy that sucked all race and saved a set of red tires that got the lucky yellow?

Further adding his frustration he said, “Yeah I am very torn on it and we’re getting further and further away from traditional racing.”

Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon have used similar tactics with success. Dillon’s win at Richmond Raceway was partly due to smart tire strategy, though a crash between Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin kept him from securing a playoff spot. Suarez, on the other hand, has praised the red tires, saying, “These option tires, if NASCAR and the fans didn’t like it, I don’t know what they would like because they were amazing.”

Others, however, do not share the same enthusiasm. Racers like Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have raised their skepticism around the red tires. The unpredictable nature of these tires and disruption of the flow of the race are some concerns that these racers primarily have.

Christopher Bell raised another major concern during his recent discussion with Jeff Gluck. Highlighting the issue, the 29-year-old said, “We’re getting further and further away from traditional racing.” Given the recent developments around the sport, a section of fans feels the same way as Christopher Bell, who feels unrepresented in this case.

The introduction of option tires was an important change brought by NASCAR. However, there are other equally crucial changes that it has brought. Interestingly, it has sparked a reaction from all hooks and corners of the racing community.

Significant changes brought by NASCAR during this season

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In addition to the option tires, NASCAR introduced several other changes that have reshaped the sport, especially regarding driver safety. Following a major incident at Michigan International Speedway, new safety measures were implemented, including the installation of right-side rear-window air deflectors on all cars. NASCAR also mandated more SAFER (steel and foam energy reduction) barriers at critical points around the track to enhance driver protection.

Additionally, the car manufacturers also made significant changes to the racing cars. Ford introduced its Mustang’s Dark Horse Model for the 2024 season.

Racers, like Harrison Burton of the Wood Brothers Racing, delivered a historic Daytona performance driving this car. On the other hand, Toyota has introduced the Camry XSE model for this year. The car enabled prominent racers like Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing to perform exceedingly well throughout the season.