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Goodyear’s New Tire Experiment Sparks Controversy: Will it Revive or Ruin NASCAR’s COTA Race?

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
February 26, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Goodyear’s New Tire Experiment Sparks Controversy: Will it Revive or Ruin NASCAR’s COTA Race?

The NASCAR Next Gen tire was a two-year development process that consisted of close collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), NASCAR, race teams and drivers, undergoing tests at over 25 tracks, from superspeedways to short tracks and road courses. (The Marketing Arm images for Goodyear)

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The tumultuous love-hate relationship between NASCAR fans and Goodyear’s tire strategies is back in the limelight. The bone of contention this time is the tire titan’s newest experiment at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), which has triggered a wave of dissatisfaction among the fan base.

Last year, NASCAR Cup Series participant Christopher Bell, despite making the playoffs, expressed his skepticism about Goodyear’s Option tires. His sentiments mirrored the disappointment felt by fans after the tires’ chaotic debut at Richmond. The tires were intended to offer more wear and softer feel, thereby creating more passing opportunities and exciting strategy plays. However, they failed to deliver the desired results consistently. While some races like the Food City 500 at Bristol witnessed high-octane action, others like the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro fell flat.

Fast forward to 2025, Goodyear is back with another tire experiment at COTA. The new Goodyear Eagle 18-inch Road Course Radials, designed with a revised compound for increased tire wear and lap-time fall-off, have not won fans over. The intention is to create more tire management strategies leading to varied pit stops and passing opportunities. But, many fans believe these frequent modifications are causing more damage than improvement to the sport.

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Last year’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway exemplified the concerns. The race, intended to be a platform to showcase Goodyear’s option tires, turned out to be a dull affair with Team Penske’s Joey Logano leading 199 out of 200 laps. The much-anticipated tire strategy never materialized, and the softer tires failed to create the drama fans had hoped for.

Despite the skepticism, some voices in the NASCAR community, like Dale Earnhardt Jr., have come out in support of Goodyear’s efforts. He lauded Goodyear’s progress on the Dale Jr. Download and urged fans to remember their earlier pleas to Goodyear for softer tires. However, even Earnhardt Jr.’s endorsement hasn’t been able to alleviate the fans’ skepticism.

The fans’ frustration is palpable. They argue that the constant changes make the sport harder to follow and more difficult for teams to adjust. The recurring modifications to aerodynamics, horsepower, and tire compounds have added to the complexity. Many fans have expressed their doubts about whether the new tire setups will ever yield the intended results.

Moreover, there is a belief among the fans that frequent introduction of new variables is detracting from the drivers’ abilities to showcase their skills. They lament that every race weekend seems to bring something new to learn, often with minimal practice time. Some fans suggest that NASCAR could take a leaf out of Indy Car’s book, where teams are required to run a minimum two laps on two different compounds.

The upcoming COTA race, with a practice session each for the Xfinity and Cup series races, will be a litmus test for Goodyear’s tire strategy. Goodyear has taken significant risks in the past, and not all of them have paid off. If the new tire setup at COTA delivers exciting racing, it could turn the tide for fan confidence. But if it’s a repeat of the All-Star Race or the second Bristol event in 2024, the chorus of criticism is only likely to grow louder.

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