Goodyear’s Radical Tire Change Leaves NASCAR Drivers in Panic Mode

As the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs head for the second race in the three-race opening Round of 16 at Watkins Glen International, tension mounts among drivers due to Goodyear’s introduction of a radically different tire compound. This weekend’s race comes hot on the heels of Joey Logano’s victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which secured him a spot in the Round of 12. Watkins Glen International, a 2.45-mile road course in New York, has historically favored Hendrick Motorsports, which has dominated the past five events at this 7-turn layout. However, this year’s race is set to see a dramatic change due to these new tire compounds. The issues plaguing NASCAR on short tracks and road courses led to aerodynamic tweaks to the Next Gen car from 2022, which unfortunately failed to solve the persistent problems. To mitigate these concerns, NASCAR enlisted Goodyear to develop a softer tire compound aimed at inducing more tire fall-off during a race. The new tires were initially tested at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring, and the results showed promise. Goodyear’s Director of Racing, Greg Stucker, provided an optimistic outlook on the changes

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