What’s Happening?

Goodyear’s option tire used during the All-Star Race made its points race debut this past weekend at Richmond Raceway. Similar to the soft tire in F1, it was designed to initially have more grip and go faster, with the tradeoff being quicker tire wear. The tire would last around 40 laps in the race before the harder prime tires began to reel them in. Overall, it made the race more exciting and presented a new level of strategy that hasn’t been seen in a NASCAR Cup Series race in years. But what other tracks could use the option tire? Where else could it excel? We have a list of five tracks where we’d like to use the option tire in a NASCAR race.

• The option tire debuted in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It’s meant to provide faster speeds but a faster fall-off, producing better racing. It had mixed results during the All-Star Race, mostly due to the track’s newly repaved surface.
• NASCAR and Goodyear brought the tire back for this past weekend’s Richmond race. With the track’s worn out surface, it really shined, with higher grip for 40 laps, but a quicker falloff compared to the primary tire.
• There are plenty of worn out tracks that the option tire would excel at. Not all of them are short tracks. Even some bigger tracks would benefit.

Martinsville Speedway

The option tire was designed to improve racing at short tracks. Richmond, which has produced lackluster racing for years, was wildly entertaining, with drivers coming from 16th to first in just a handful of laps. With one short track showing success, NASCAR and Goodyear should use the tire at another one, such as Martinsville Speedway.

The Paperclip has struggled in the Next Gen Era to produce the racing fans have come to enjoy at the track. The option tire, mixed with the 20-year-old surface, would be a match made in heaven for tire falloff. Martinsville will likely be the next track to try the option tire if it makes a return. A playoff race with a second compound would add a new element for strategy, especially as the season’s penultimate race. The option tire was designed for tracks like Martinsville, so it only makes sense for the track to utilize it either this season or next.

Bristol Motor Speedway

Sticking with the short tracks, let’s continue with the Last Great Colosseum: Bristol Motor Speedway. Bristol is unique to other short tracks due to its high banking and even higher speeds. It’s the one short track on the schedule that hasn’t been as hampered by the issues of the Next Gen compared to Richmond, Martinsville, and North Wilkesboro. The racing continues to produce, and adding the option tire would add on to that excellent product.

Compared to tracks like Martinsville and Richmond, BMS isn’t as known for its high tire wear (minus the 2024 spring race). However, despite it happening by accident, fans and drivers praised the fall off the tires produced, giving the Food City 500 a welcomed return. It only makes sense to bring it back to where it started. The spring race showed the drivers on the edge and, in return, a fantastic product. Having the option tire at Bristol makes sense. Without the track, the option tire would maybe never exist.

Darlington Raceway

This is the wild card on the list. The option tire was designed for short tracks, not intermediate-sized ones. It would require a completely different tire to accommodate the higher speeds. That being said, having a tire that wears that fast at The Lady in Black would be a sight to behold. Darlington Raceway is known for its massive tire falloff, with teams taking four tires at any opportunity. Tire falloff equals good racing, so why not add more tire falloff with the option tire at Darlington?

The issue with the option tire at Darlington would be whether it has too much tire fall off. Pit strategies call for four fresh Goodyears after just 10 laps around the race track. With the option tire, that might go over the line, similar to what the Bristol spring race was earlier this year. However, if Goodyear were to build an option tire for a bigger track, The Lady in Black could be an intriguing option if the opportunity was available.

Phoenix Raceway

As long as the championship race is at Phoenix Raceway, the sport needs to do everything it can to improve the product. Racing in the desert has been lackluster even before the Next Gen Era, despite multiple aero packages and cars used throughout the years. So why not bring the option tire to the host of Championship Weekend?

Phoenix has struggled with tire wear over the years. Teams would rather keep track position than take a gamble on tires, as the track doesn’t wear them enough to take the chance. Having the option tire will make teams decide if the faster lap times are worth, the faster falloff, similar to Richmond last week. Like with the other short tracks, having an additional element of strategy during the season finale could mean that the championship could come down to who chooses the right tire. NASCAR Championship Weekend should send the sport off with a bang! The option tire at Phoenix could do just that.

Circuit of the Americas

The option tire at a road course? It would different for sure, but if done right could make things really interesting. Most motorsports run different tires at road courses on the regular, meaning NASCAR can look to other series for inspiration, similar to the Chicago Street Race. As for the track? Look no further than Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

COTA has quickly become a fan-favorite track. Its abrasive surface around most of the track would make it the perfect road course to bring the option tire for the Cup Series. Sonoma Raceway was almost chosen over COTA, but its recent repave has us wondering if the option tire would be effective. Or indifferent to the prime tire similar to North Wilkesboro. NASCAR has tried many new things over the years. Two tires on a road course? Why not?

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