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Kevin Harvick Blasts Goodyear for Holding NASCAR Back as 2025 Season Kicks Off with The Clash

Carl Smith by Carl Smith
January 31, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Kevin Harvick Blasts Goodyear for Holding NASCAR Back as 2025 Season Kicks Off with The Clash

2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick dons his helmet as he gets ready to qualify for the Busch Light Blizzard 100 race at the Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola on Friday, June 28, 2024.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series is set to fire up in dramatic fashion, kicking off with The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, but not everyone is thrilled about the state of the sport. While NASCAR is rolling out bold changes—including its first-ever international race in Mexico City and new tire strategies—one of the sport’s biggest voices has called out a major player for holding the competition back.

2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick has never been one to hold back, and in typical fashion, he’s pointed fingers at Goodyear, NASCAR’s exclusive tire supplier, accusing them of slowing down progress with their cautious approach to tire development.

Harvick Calls Out Goodyear for ‘Slowing Down’ NASCAR’s Growth

Harvick, now a key figure in NASCAR media after stepping away from full-time racing, has been vocal about the problems plaguing short-track racing and the Next Gen car. On a recent episode of his Happy Hour podcast, he didn’t mince words when it came to Goodyear’s role in the sport’s stagnation.

“I think Goodyear is much more reluctant to step out on that ledge because of how a blown tire looks. If something goes wrong, it reflects on their company,” Harvick said.

Harvick believes that while NASCAR has been aggressive in experimenting with new ideas, Goodyear has been too conservative, afraid of tire failures that could damage their reputation. But according to Harvick, that caution is hurting the sport, particularly when it comes to improving short-track racing.

“We’re in a position where we need to take some risks on the short-track tire,” he continued. “We saw it at Richmond and other places that we ran that tire… It’s as soft as Goodyear has ever gone with any racing tire.”

The ‘Option Tire’ Experiment: NASCAR Pushes Forward, But Goodyear Holds Back

One of NASCAR’s biggest innovations for 2025 is the introduction of the “Option” tire, a softer compound designed to increase tire wear and force drivers into more strategic racing. The goal? To fix the passing issues that have plagued short tracks since the Next Gen car debuted.

The Option tire was first tested at North Wilkesboro in 2023, where it struggled due to the track surface. But later, when used at Richmond, it showed promise, providing better racing and more passing opportunities. Now, NASCAR is bringing it to Phoenix for further testing, and if successful, it could become the primary tire for the 2025 Championship Race.

However, Harvick and others fear that Goodyear’s risk-averse mentality could prevent NASCAR from fully embracing this change.

“With what we watched at Spring Bristol last year… we all agreed that’s the direction we want to go,” Harvick said.

The Bigger Problem: NASCAR’s Short-Track Struggles

For years, NASCAR has battled declining excitement on short tracks, a problem exacerbated by the Next Gen car. Unlike previous generations, the current car is too stiff and too aero-sensitive, making passing nearly impossible on smaller tracks.

NASCAR is actively working on solutions—revising aero packages, tweaking horsepower, and experimenting with tire compounds—but Harvick believes Goodyear’s hesitation is slowing down the necessary improvements.

“We all know that softer tires create better racing, and yet we still have to fight for them,” one driver anonymously stated last season. “It’s frustrating because we see what works, and yet it takes forever to implement.”

2025: A Pivotal Season for NASCAR

NASCAR’s 2025 season is shaping up to be a defining year, with major changes aimed at improving competition.

  • The Clash at Bowman Gray will serve as a fresh start for the sport, with the legendary short track bringing back an old-school feel.
  • The inaugural Mexico City race marks NASCAR’s biggest international expansion in years.
  • The new Option tire at Phoenix could be a game-changer for short-track racing—if Goodyear allows it.

But Harvick’s comments highlight a major concern: Is Goodyear holding NASCAR back from its full potential?

As the sport moves forward with aggressive changes, the pressure is now on Goodyear to step up and deliver the tires NASCAR needs to make these improvements work.

With the 2025 season about to go green, the battle isn’t just on the track—it’s behind the scenes, where NASCAR, its teams, and its suppliers are fighting for the future of the sport.

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