NASCAR entered Bristol Motor Speedway hoping to put on a show, but it never could have guessed what was coming. The first few runs during the NASCAR Cup Series race featured extreme tire wear that lasted only 30 to 40 laps. The drivers and teams adjusted to where they could last 50 to 70 laps on tires near the end.
However, some drivers simply didn’t have the car to save tires and go fast. Several vehicles were going at a snail’s pace 30 to 40 laps into a run, even at the end of the race. Watching the tires fall off was entertaining and pleasing but simply too extreme. NASCAR needs tire wear in the Cup Series, but there needs to be a balance.
Goodyear should be able to find a balance between zero and extreme tire wear. Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney, two Cup Series champions, certainly believe there needs to be a balance. The race was more about saving tires than anything else. That is a relief for the NextGen car, which has been track position-based since its debut in 2022.
Denny Hamlin wins at Bristol! pic.twitter.com/rbyPIaUS31
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 17, 2024
Yet, it is still reasonable to admit that Sunday’s race at Bristol was too extreme. It was a step in the right direction but way too far. If Goodyear can find that fine line, short-track racing in NASCAR could be on the rise with the NextGen car. It may take some time to figure out whether it was an anomaly, but at least the tires show wear.
Was it an entertaining race to watch? Of course! However, this isn’t something that can happen weekly. It isn’t something that should happen too often. The hope is that tire wear can exist everywhere within reason. Anything extreme like Bristol could spell trouble in the future. It is good to see for NASCAR, but it can’t be overdone.
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