Is it time for NASCAR's option tire experiment to become a short track fixture?

Yesterday at 01:37 PM

Goodyear has now experimented with a softer tire at three different NASCAR short tracks.

The tire, dubbed the 'option' to differentiate it from the primary race compound, is softer and, therefore, wears more and quicker, too. But before it does, it gives a driver an advantage because it's faster. Or, as those drivers would say, it makes them feel like Superman driving through the field against those on the primary tire.

Phoenix Raceway was the latest track to play host to the experiment. Cup Series teams had two sets of option tires to mix into their race day strategy alongside six sets of prime tires. It is the second time NASCAR has done so in a points-paying race; the first was at Richmond Raceway last fall. North Wilkesboro Speedway, the site of the All-Star Race, was the debut race for the option tire last year.

The option tire made Sunday's race at Phoenix bearable. It provided an additional storyline for viewers, created the ability to pass, and put tire management back in the driver's hands. There has been criticism from drivers and viewers about the difficulty of passing in Cup Series races in recent years. And tire management has become less and less of a variable in the sport over the years.

Given that Phoenix is a track that has lacked good racing by many definitions, Sunday was a success. It was one of the better Phoenix races in recent memory and received a passing grade from the competitors. Goodyear was also pleased with what it saw from its tire.

With all of that said, the experiment needs to end. It's been three races, and there is no more to learn or that can be seen with the option tire that needs to go into the notebook.

It works. The drivers like it. The racing product on short tracks, a recurring topic of conversation since the Next Gen car was implemented in 2022, is significantly improved when used.

The next step should be for Goodyear and NASCAR to move forward with the option tire as the primary tire at all short tracks. Yes, it would remove the strategy point where teams choose which tire they want to use and when. But, in turn, one would imagine it becomes a tire management race.

Think of the spring 2024 race at Bristol Motor Speedway with slightly less aggressive wear. But putting drivers in the position of having to manage their stints because the tire will not last the entire run, and therefore seeing some fall through the field and others climb the leaderboard, is, dare the word be used, entertaining.

Goodyear and NASCAR are clearly comfortable enough with the option tire to keep using it at different races. It will likely become the primary tire for the championship race at Phoenix in November. So, if it's good enough to be used, why not go all the way?

There have been drivers who have been ready for it to be a primary tire since last year. That sentiment continued over the weekend by some at Phoenix.

"I’d like to just have one option, preferably the softer option," Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said.

"Selfishly, it seemed like my car was a little bit better on the (primary) tires," Christopher Bell said after winning the race. "My balance was just better compared to the competition. It seemed like the yellow tires were a little bit harder to drive. That allowed my car to excel. The red tire definitely brought the field closer together. I don't know. I'm not a fan of having two tire compounds in the same race. It worked out (today) where a couple of the best cars ended up racing for the win.

"A matter of luck becomes involved whenever you have a faster car and a slower tire. It worked out (today) for me. I personally don't like having two tires in the same race or two compounds, I should say, in the same race with there being known yellows. I talked to somebody in here about IndyCar and how they have multiple tire compounds, but they don't have the stage breaks. It makes it a little bit different."

The narrative will turn against having two different tire compounds in a race and the 'gimmick' word will be used. Bell pointed out one counterargument: it will allow a team and driver who aren't running up front on merit to take advantage of a different tire strategy.

A softer tire is the way to go, certainly when the car isn't changing. The tire is the key, and Goodyear has shown it can build a softer one, as nearly every driver has continuously requested over the years.

"I certainly think we've got a winner," Denny Hamlin said on his podcast this week. "We've talked about for the last three years, me and Dale Jr. believed for the longest time that Goodyear has the keys to NASCAR Cup Series racing, and I think it's evident that we were right. Because we've got tire falloff.

"We finally got them to put some soft tires on the car and the results of the racing that we've seen speaks for itself. It was a 100% success. I can't think of a short track or a mile or less track that these tires couldn't go and race at next week."

Hamlin continued, "We don't want options. We don't want multiple compounds. I think you start getting a little bit quirky when that happens. I think you would have fantastic racing no matter what with just the straight … option tire. But I know there are going to be some counters here that, 'Yeah, there was a lot of passing because some were at a deficit of others.'"

The option tire experiment has been a success. The data gathered shows that. The conclusion should be that if a softer compound is good enough for a championship race as the primary (because NASCAR and Goodyear don't want multiple compounds in that particular race), then it should be good enough for race weekend as the only tire.