Goodyear is put under the spotlight after almost every short-track race in the NASCAR Cup Series, and it was the same story after the outing at Phoenix Speedway last Sunday. Reports of tire issues during the event led to the company’s product being discussed on NASCAR: Inside The Race, where experts Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty shared some strong thoughts and potential solutions.
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Tire concerns have long been a short-track problem. Is that going to continue? Most likely, as long as teams keep racing with low tire pressure. But there is a strong reason for that approach.
Letarte explained that lower pressure in the right-side tires, particularly the right rear, helps drivers go faster. Less air benefits several aspects of performance, including mechanical grip and downforce. So, it is only natural for teams to want less air in the tires.
The former driver turned analyst said, “It is a direct alignment to speed. I think NASCAR and Goodyear and the teams have to just be okay with this because this is what this is, part of the racing.”
The important matter Letarte spoke about, however, was the number of tires that are made available to teams for a race.
NASCAR currently allows 10 sets of tires for every race weekend. One set is used during practice, another is used during qualifying, and the remaining sets are reserved for the race. Letarte doesn’t think this is enough. He recommended that 10 sets of tires would be an ideal number, considering the tolerance levels of the rubber that is used right now.
Petty’s point of view wasn’t much different. He said, “I’m a firm believer in unlimited. Like it used to be. When somebody falls out, you rush down to their pit, and you buy their tires from them because you need extra tires. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it always was.”
The biggest reason why NASCAR limits the number of tires is to help the teams save money. But Petty doesn’t support that idea. Trying to save money on two or three sets of tires in a sport where hundreds of millions are spent doesn’t make a lot of sense to him. It remains to be seen if the words of these veterans will reach the men in charge at Daytona.
