NASCAR Confirms Controversial “Option” Tires for Richmond

SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 07: A crew member works on tires during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 07, 2024 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

What’s Happening?

NASCAR announced Tuesday morning that they will utilize multiple tire compounds for the August Cup Series race weekend at Richmond Raceway. In addition to the seven sets of primary tires (one for practice and six for the race), teams will be allotted three sets of “Option” ties (one for practice and two for the race). Teams will choose when to use the Option tires during the race.

  • The Option tires will utilize the same rubber compound as they did at North Wilkesboro, which is wet weather tire rubber constructed on a slick tire. Option tires will be designated with red lettering, and primary tires will be designated in yellow. All four tires must also be of the same compound, so teams cannot mix tire compounds.
  • Teams will not be allowed to use Option tires when qualifying. NASCAR said that the qualifying set of primary tires would be one of the six tire sets allotted for the race but did not specify that teams would be required to start the race on those tires. NASCAR will also give teams one 45-minute practice session for the new tires.
  • Fans are happy to see NASCAR trying something to improve the short-track product. However, no one knows whether or not it will work, given the underwhelming results during the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

For more on why NASCAR will use these tires at Richmond, read the article below:

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NASCAR Suspends Multiple Cup Series Crew Members After COTA

What’s Happening?

Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas

  • The crew members suspended were rear-tire changer Josh Appleby and jackman Kenneth Pozega.
  • They will be sidelined for two weeks, missing the races at Phoenix Raceway on March 8th and Las Vegas on March 15th.
  • The penalty comes after Ross Chastain had a loose wheel at Circuit of the Americas while running 13th. On lap 75, his wheel detached from the car, bringing out a caution. Right after the incident, Chastain was also held for 2 laps as part of the penalty, as specified in the rulebook.
  • Chastain ended up finishing 35th after winning stage 1 and grabbing the fastest lap of the race. The result dropped him 9 spots on the point standings. He sits 20th with 64 points, 4 behind Ryan Preece, who holds the final Chase spot for now.
  • It’s the first time in the 2026 NASCAR season that crew members have been penalized for a loose wheel outside of pit road.

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NASCAR Reveals Full Details on The Crew Motorfest Content Update

What’s Happening?

On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.

What NASCAR Content will be Included?

  • 16 officially licensed NASCAR cars will be available at launch on March 4.
  • The 3 Next Gen Cup cars include the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, 2025 Chevrolet ZL1, and 2025 Toyota Camry XSE.
  • A 10-event NASCAR Motorfest Tour Playlist will run from qualifying rounds through finals, with players competing for the NASCAR Motorfest Tour Champion title.
  • NASCAR cars will be drivable across the full open world, not limited to playlist events.
  • NASCAR content launches March 4 as part of Season 9, which includes 31 total new vehicles across the broader season.

What Else is Included in the Update?

  • Season 9 features 31 total vehicle additions. Of those, 16 are NASCAR-related, but most are cosmetic team liveries rather than separate cars. In total, the season introduces 18 new drivable vehicles, with the remainder made up of cosmetic variations.
  • The 2019 Porsche 935 Racing Car arrives on April 1 as part of the Year Pass 3.
  • Trackforge debuts as a new user-generated track creator, offering two build templates: Motorsports and Coaster. It will have publishing and sharing functionality.
  • Custom circuits can be deployed across Moloka’i and Lanai, expanding playable layouts beyond developer-created events.
  • The RC Frenzy Playlist launches May 6, introducing two RC vehicles: Phazr General Rally Raid (2026) and Phazr Trickshot Street Tier 1 (2026). Both will be usable in dedicated events and the open world.
  • A new Island Playground, Summit Contest events, and weekly Main Stage activities round out the Season 9 content slate.

What Else has been Revealed?

Pit Stop Management
Crash Physics
Drafting System

Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below

Full Lineup and Prices

NASCAR Full Pack – 168,000 CC
  • HMS’s No. 9 Chevrolet (Chase Elliott)
  • HMS’s No. 24 Chevrolet (William Byron)
  • RCR’s No. 8 Chevrolet (Kyle Busch)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 1 Chevrolet (Ross Chastain)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 88 Chevrolet (Shane van Gisbergen)
  • Penske’s No. 12 Ford (Ryan Blaney)
  • Penske’s No. 22 Ford (Joey Logano)
  • RFK’s No. 6 Ford (Brad Keselowski)
  • 23XI’s No. 23 Toyota (Bubba Wallace)
  • 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota (Tyler Reddick)
  • JGR’s No. 19 Toyota (Chase Briscoe)
  • JGR’s No. 20 Toyota (Christopher Bell)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Chevrolet Pack – 122,500 CC
  • HMS’s No. 9 Chevrolet (Chase Elliott)
  • HMS’s No. 24 Chevrolet (William Byron)
  • RCR’s No. 8 Chevrolet (Kyle Busch)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 1 Chevrolet (Ross Chastain)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 88 Chevrolet (Shane van Gisbergen)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Ford Pack – 73,500 CC
  • Penske’s No. 12 Ford (Ryan Blaney)
  • Penske’s No. 22 Ford (Joey Logano)
  • RFK’s No. 6 Ford (Brad Keselowski)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Toyota Pack – 98,000 CC
  • 23XI’s No. 23 Toyota (Bubba Wallace)
  • 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota (Tyler Reddick)
  • JGR’s No. 19 Toyota (Chase Briscoe)
  • JGR’s No. 20 Toyota (Christopher Bell)
  • NASCAR Hoodie

Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.

Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:

We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.

The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below

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Too Many Road Courses In NASCAR? | New Power Rankings Post-COTA!

Four road courses on the schedule, and somehow that’s enough to spark one of the biggest debates in the garage. After recent comments from Brad Keselowski questioning the business value of road racing, the conversation has picked up serious steam. Is NASCAR leaning too far into it, or is the current balance about right?

  • Are road courses truly underperforming in ratings and attendance compared to traditional ovals?
  • Does a venue like Circuit of the Americas represent a growth opportunity, or schedule oversaturation?
  • Should NASCAR prioritize sponsor markets over competitive variety?
  • And what does the ideal long-term schedule balance actually look like?

There are valid points on both sides, from sponsorship realities to fan traditions to competitive diversity. Some tracks have gained traction. Others have struggled. The question isn’t just whether road courses belong, but how many make sense within a 36-race season. It’s less about extremes and more about direction. And with future schedule changes always looming, this debate probably isn’t settled anytime soon.

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