John Speedway here, hot on the heels of some thrilling developments in the NASCAR world, or should I say, rubberized revolutions? The traditional approach of ‘the thinner, the better’ seems to be losing ground. As counterintuitive as it may seem, Goodyear has declared thicker the victor on the speedway. Before you holler, ‘Hold your horses, Speedway!’, let me get to the details. Trust me, this slice of news is as riveting as a drag race.
In a carefully thought-out move, Goodyear has introduced the thicker gauged Eagle 18-inch Short Track Radials for the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville— a venue notorious for close racing and hotheaded altercations. Even though we love the sizzle, Goodyear brings its fresh plates to the table— balancing the heat factor in the tire while simultaneously triggering a rise in the excitement meter.
Explaining this innovative gage increase, Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, exclaimed, “Normally, heat can be the enemy of the tire, but at the same time, we want to put enough heat into the tire so it works at an optimum level,” He added, “This tire fires off quickly, opens the tuning window for the teams, and holds heat more throughout a run.” A thicker tread, quicker heat build-up, and increased heat retention— make evident that Goodyear is rolling in some heavy-duty changes.
Furthermore, Goodyear is also upping the ante in wet conditions. They are rolling out the 18-inch wet weather radial tires for the NASCAR Cup Series. This could be another intriguing twist on the track if NASCAR gives the green light under unfavorable weather. Remember when Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, and Tyler Reddick sweaty-palmed their way through the wet conditions at Martinsville in June 2022? Might be time for everyone else to get their feet wet.
Oh, wait, there’s more! The NASCAR Xfinity Series isn’t missing out on the tire party. With a unique setup for Martinsville, the 15-inch Short Track Radials promise to be another show-stopper. No run-of-the-mill race, remember folks, ‘Speedway’s the way, baby!’
About The Author
John Speedway: ’70s legend, Flamboyant, victorious, romantic. ‘Speedway’s the way, baby!’ Buckle up!