Many NASCAR fans know there’s a marked difference between body styles and engine power between a NASCAR Cup car and an Xfinity Series ride. JR Motorsports’ Xfinity Series ace Justin Allgaier said there’s also another marked difference between driving the two different types of cars: tires and tire wear.
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In a recent story in The Athletic, newly-minted Indianapolis 500 winner Alex Palou asked Allgaier if there was a difference between wear limits in a Cup tire versus an Xfinity tire, and also driving on an oval versus on a road or street course between the two types of tires.
“It’s funny, because I don’t know where the limit of the tire is on a road course, but I have so much of an easier time of feeling that on an oval,” Allgaier said. “The Xfinity Series car is great for me because the Cup Series car, I would say that’s the hardest part.”
The 38-year-old further explained the reasons for this difference. He said, “When I go drive Cup, whether it be the 40 car at Daytona or filling in for Kyle (Larson) in the 5 car, I struggle with finding a little bit of the tire because it is a short sidewall, real low profile. The car has a ton of grip. The tire has a ton of grip.
“IndyCar is the same way, right? Really wide tires, lots of grip. An Xfinity car has got the narrower tire, taller sidewall, more flex. It’s probably the easiest car I’ve ever driven to find the limit of the tire.”
If Palou were to ever climb behind the wheel of an Xfinity race, regardless if it was on an oval or road/street course, Palou might be in for a bit of a pleasant surprise. Allgaier said with a chuckle, “He’d go, ‘Oh man, this is way easier than I thought.’ It would be way more comfortable.”
Ironically, just a few days after posing the question about tire wear on an oval to Allgaier, Alex Palou went on to win the Indy 500 — his first ever on an oval.
