The recent NASCAR race in Bristol has sparked calls for accountability in the wake of Goodyear’s tire performance. During the Round of 16 finale, the inconsistency of the tire wear brought forward sharp criticism from key NASCAR insiders, raising questions about the brand’s reliability.
This year’s spring race at Bristol saw considerable tire fall-off, which significantly influenced the race. Surprisingly, the same tires were used for the Round of 16 finale. Contrary to the spring race, the tires this time showed no wear at all. This drastic change enabled Kyle Larson to dominate the race, leading 462 of the 500 laps and securing his fifth victory of the season with minimal tire degradation.
The stark disparity in tire performance has not gone unnoticed. During “The Teardown” podcast, NASCAR insiders Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi did not hold back their frustrations and demands for an explanation from Goodyear. Jeff Gluck questioned the absence of expected tire wear, calling for transparency and accountability.
“Well, that’s a problem. And so again, there needs to be some sort of accountability or explanation. Whether from Goodyear themselves, or NASCAR or whatever. But you can’t have sort of like this inconsistency, because, as I was saying, the race played out straight up.
Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with the gladiator sword in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 21, 2024 in Bristol, Tennessee. After Larson’s win, the tire performance has been drawn into question.
James Gilbert/Getty Images
“But I don’t want to see in future, whether it’s championship races or cutoff races, teams showing up and on the day of the race going, ‘I have no idea what this tire is going to do.
“The tire a key element of the racing. It’s not the same. We don’t know why. We can’t explain it.”
Bianchi echoed his co-host’s sentiments, slamming the tire brand:
“I have zero confidence that there is going to be an explanation about what happened tonight.
“My faith in Goodyear is getting lower and lower on this and that they are able to build an effective tire on a consistent basis, because it doesn’t happen.”
Kyle Larson’s dominant performance at Bristol, winning by a 7.1-second margin, further highlighted the issue. With only four leaders and eight lead changes, the race was noticeably less competitive, with drivers struggling to pass—an outcome directly linked to the performance of the tires.
Gluck voiced his concerns regarding the implications on the championship series, stressing the need for a dependable tire.
“There’s all these theories, like, that should be a known quantity, right? Like that should be like, ‘All right, we know the setup. We’re not sure how our setup will change in the race or whatever, right?’
“Like something else. But to have the tire be the wild card factor is a little scary for a championship that is divided into many seasons and one championship race.”
The inconsistencies in tire performance pose a potential threat not just to how interesting and exciting a race can be for its viewers, but also to the fairness and reliability of the ongoing championship.
