Many drivers in the Cup Series field have been left impressed with the softer tire compound that Goodyear introduced last year. These option variants are used together with the primary variants to create additional race strategies. While largely well-received, Christopher Bell had expressed his criticism of the approach earlier this month in Phoenix.
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He thought that using two different tires in a race was a gimmick and that it took drivers away from traditional racing. “I don’t like having two compounds in the race,” he declared before adding that he would support it if the option tires were the only ones used throughout a race. Now, Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suarez is not someone who can stand behind this opinion.
The Las Vegas runner-up had expressed his thoughts about the tire choices at Phoenix as well. He said with confidence that he would push NASCAR and Goodyear to race with both tire compounds more often if it were up to him. He also noted that the recent races are far from being the first ones to employ them.
In his words, “It’s not something new, you know? My first all-star race, in 2017, we were already messing with it. We had a soft tire and a hard tire. Obviously, last year in Richmond, we did it. I thought it was a tremendous success.” He believed that one more equation was added to the race through the tires and made things more exciting for everyone.
Considering it a gimmick, as Bell did, was the last thing he wanted to do. He pointed out how other racing series follow a similar approach and that it makes things a lot more fun.
What will the tire setups be in Martinsville this weekend?
Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass has confirmed that only one tire compound will be used at Martinsville on Sunday. The setups will be identical to the ones that teams followed during last November’s playoff race at the track. The option tire compound will be used as the standard right-side tire. A softer compound will be used on the left.
This tire setup was followed during the Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium as well. Pockrass wrote on X, “No two different versions of tires this weekend and not expected to have teams choose among two versions (primary and an option) during a race again this year.”
The understanding behind NASCAR’s ongoing reluctance to bring both tire compounds to races is that the industry wants tires that wear a lot.
But once that point is reached, it wants drivers to manage the tires based on how they use the track and determine when to pit. Bell’s desire appears to be winning this battle against that of his foes.
