Ahead of the final race of the Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR insiders Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi shared their thoughts on the anticipated tire fall-off for the upcoming weekend.
On the latest episode of The Teardown, the duo from The Athletic discussed why they believe this weekend’s race at Bristol could be unpredictable. They noted that, after the wild spring race, there’s still no clear understanding of how things will unfold.
“Let’s talk about the tires for a second because that’s one of NASCAR’s big mysteries right now,” Gluck said. “In the spring, we supposedly had the same tire as last fall, where there was hardly any tire wear.
But then in the spring, tire wear was off the charts. Everyone was like, ‘What’s going on?’ The general consensus was that the colder temperatures were to blame, with these tires being so sensitive to even slight changes.
“Except, Goodyear did a tire test on a day in the 90s—not cool like the spring—and they still saw similar fall-off. So, I asked people this weekend, and they don’t get it. Nobody gets it. The expectation is that it could be similar to the spring race, which would be wild. But really, no one knows what to expect from the tires.”
Gluck also mentioned that Denny Hamlin had a theory, jokingly suggesting that perhaps the tire mixture had been altered, even though Goodyear claims it’s the same tire. “If temperatures aren’t the factor, then who knows? I don’t think anyone really knows what kind of Bristol race we’ll get until they start practicing and running. It’s crazy.”
With this uncertainty, tire wear could have a huge impact on who advances to the next round of the playoffs, making this a crucial race for those near the cut line. Bianchi, for one, is eager to see what unfolds.
“That’s what’s going to make Saturday so exciting,” Bianchi added. “You look at some drivers and think, ‘They just need a clean race, finish in the top 15 or 20, and they’ll be safe.’ But with this tire situation, nobody knows. It’s wild, and I can’t wait.
“This round has been full of surprises—Atlanta didn’t go as expected, Watkins Glen was great, and I think Bristol will be too. So far, it’s delivered exactly what we hoped for.”
As the drivers near the cut-off anxiously wait to see how the tires perform, the anticipation for Saturday’s race continues to grow, with the uncertainty only adding to the drama of this final race in the Round of 16.
