The Goodyear tire is often a major talking point leading up to short-track races, and the playoff race at Bristol last Sunday was no different.
Expectations were high after the spring race, which saw excess tire wear forcing teams to adjust their strategies, creating a thrilling experience for fans.
While the spring race was a one-time event, it set the bar high for short-track racing. However, last Sunday’s race at Bristol turned out to be rather uneventful, with Kyle Larson easily securing his fifth win of the season.
With almost no tire degradation, the NASCAR community blamed Goodyear for ruining what could have been another exciting race like the spring event.
In response, Larson has come to Goodyear’s defense, arguing that the problems with the short-track package go beyond just the tires. In doing so, he subtly criticized NASCAR and its Next-Gen car.
Kyle Larson Had Enough of the Tire Debate After the Bristol Race
One of the major criticisms fans voiced online was the long green flag runs. Larson led 462 of the 500 laps, making a dominant statement heading into the next round. Fans and NASCAR alike expected a similar race to the spring, but the outcome was very different, with minimal tire wear.
Many fans directed their frustration at Goodyear for failing to deliver an exciting race. But was this criticism fair? Kyle Larson doesn’t think so. Taking to his X account, he defended Goodyear with a combination of statistics and personal experience.
“Bristol’s ALWAYS been tough to pass. Speed on pit road, and most likely you’re going a lap down on the next run. That’s the way it is and has been for a very long time… I don’t have the answer to fix what we currently have, and neither do you, but please stop blaming Goodyear. It’s not a tire problem,” Larson posted on X.
During practice, teams noticed the tires weren’t wearing like they had in the spring race. To help create multiple racing grooves, NASCAR sprayed PJ1 over resin on the track. Larson’s comments also addressed the concerns surrounding the use of PJ1 at Bristol.
“And also, have any of you ran around Bristol with or without PJ1? Or resin for that matter. Yeah, that’s right… so 🤐 Temper your expectations. We’re driving spec race cars.”
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