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Revolutionizing NASCAR: Exploring the Impact of Next-Gen Car and Option Tires on Short-Track Racing

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 11, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Feb 2, 2025; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliot (9) leads the field during the Clash at Bowman Gray at Bowman Gray Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

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Gone are the days when NASCAR’s short tracks like Bristol and Martinsville were the hotbeds of high-intensity racing, with drivers locking fenders and losing their cool. The introduction of the Next Gen car three years ago marked a shift in NASCAR’s racing dynamic, favoring intermediate tracks while leaving short tracks struggling in the dust.

Last year, the spring race at Bristol took the NASCAR community by surprise. The night race on concrete triggered an unexpected reaction from the Goodyear tires, causing excessive wear. This forced drivers to conserve their car’s rubber, while crew chiefs scrambled to devise the perfect strategy. The race ended with Denny Hamlin nabbing a victory amidst a flurry of 54 lead changes, giving the illusion that NASCAR had finally figured out how to revive short-track racing. However, this euphoria was short-lived.

In the subsequent races at Richmond and Martinsville, the strategy was simple and predictable: secure a good track position to ensure a path to the victory lane. Martin Truex Jr. adopted this strategy at Richmond, leading 228 laps, but Hamlin and a late restart played spoilsport. The unusual tire wear at Bristol was a one-off event, with neither NASCAR nor Goodyear playing a significant role.

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In an attempt to rectify this, Goodyear introduced a new option tire at the All-Star race and the spring race in Richmond. The results were encouraging, with Dale Jr. expressing hope for further development of this tire. NASCAR and Goodyear took his words to heart, bringing the new tire compound to Phoenix Raceway as well. This move forced teams to adapt their strategies, marking a step towards restoring the glory of short-track racing.

Christopher Bell’s triumphant three-peat at the Desert Mile signaled a successful beginning of the Next Gen era. But it wasn’t just Bell’s victory that made headlines. The softer, high-grip option tire allowed Ryan Preece from RFK Racing to catapult from 33rd to 10th place in just 11 laps, earning him some crucial stage points.

Veteran journalist Jeff Gluck praised the positive impact of the new package, stating that it unlocked the true potential of the Next Gen car. This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, NASCAR’s VP of Vehicle Performance, who noted an improved performance in traffic and increased slide room for drivers, making racing more challenging and exciting.

However, despite the promising start, there were still some hiccups. Ryan Blaney, who had tested the package, expressed that the goal of improving performance in traffic was not fully met. Denny Hamlin, who finished second, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that while the package was beneficial to trailing cars, overtaking was still a challenge.

The Phoenix setup, used at tracks like Richmond and Martinsville, makes the cars harder to handle. Furthermore, the introduction of fast “red” option tires and regular “yellow” ones added another layer of complexity. While these changes pushed teams to adapt their strategies and work their way up the field, the ultimate victory still required a well-setup car and a skilled driver.

This reality was aptly summed up by Bell, who stated, “The option tire. Does it produce comers and goers? It does, but 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 it to be the guy that sucked all race and saved a set of red tires that got the lucky yellow?”

While Hamlin appreciated NASCAR’s new approach, he expressed concern about the optional nature of the tires. He argued that having optional tires is just another gimmick that prevents the best car from winning. Hamlin suggested that NASCAR could truly revolutionize short-track and one-mile oval racing by making the option tires mandatory for all races.

So, has NASCAR really found the key to the controversial Next Gen car in Phoenix? Although there are still some issues to iron out, the introduction of the new tire compound seems to be a step in the right direction. But only time will tell if this solution is sustainable in the long run.

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