Christopher Bell Terms New NASCAR Option as “A Gimmick to the Sport” Despite Thrilling Phoenix Win

NASCAR has been diligently refining short-track racing, one such initiative has been experimenting with tire options, including the introduction of ‘Option Tires.’ These made their debut at North Wilkesboro Speedway during last year’s All-Star Race and were subsequently incorporated into points-paying events. The initiative allowed teams to diversify their pit strategies significantly. Despite these efforts, Christopher Bell voiced his dissatisfaction, critiquing the use of dual tire compounds in races.

Last year, crew chief Matt Swiderski ingeniously leveraged the tire strategy, nearly securing a top 5 finish for Daniel Suarez in August at the Richmond NASCAR Cup race. Austin Dillon — who won after a last-lap tussle with the leading drivers — saw a pronounced preference for the primary tire over the option.

Most recently, at Phoenix, the return of Goodyear’s option tire to the NASCAR Cup Series contributed to an exhilarating showdown, with Christopher Bell edging out teammate Denny Hamlin for the win.

Despite the excitement, Bell remains a critic of the dual compound strategy, stating, “I don’t like having two compounds in the race. I believe it adds a gimmick to the sport, and it just gets away from traditional racing.”

He acknowledged that while other motorsports disciplines incorporate different tire strategies, the unique aspect of NASCAR is its use of planned caution periods with stage breaks.

For him, the addition of two tire compounds, one of which offers a considerable advantage, seems overly contrived, and Bell is decidedly not a proponent of this approach.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver further explained that although NASCAR might utilize these variations as experimental sessions aimed at refining tire performance — making them softer and more conducive to racing — the disparity between the red and yellow tires was evident. “If we can move forward with that being the primary option or the only Tire in a race, then I think it’s a successful debut for it,” he asserted.

He praised the option tire for its enhanced grip, though he noted it could benefit from a quicker degradation rate to challenge drivers’ skills and strategies more intensively.

Nonetheless, Bell views these developments as positive strides toward enhancing the sport, commending Goodyear and NASCAR for their proactive efforts in continuously improving the racing experience.

Following Sunday’s Phoenix race, Goodyear again held a tire test the day after, involving Austin Dillon representing Chevrolet, Josh Berry for Ford, and Tyler Reddick driving a Toyota, each testing on behalf of their respective manufacturers.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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