NASCAR Drivers, Teams Caught Off Guard by Bristol’s Goodyear Gremlins

BRISTOL, Tenn. — The NASCAR Cup Series’ return to Bristol’s concrete surface was received by many, drivers and fans alike, as a positive move for the 2024 schedule. Sunday’s (March 17) race undid almost all of that positivity.

Truck Series and Cup drivers alike struggled with their cars through Saturday’s qualifying sessions and truck race, with many naming an increased level of tire wear and consequent loss of handling among the most surprising aspects of the weekend.

For NASCAR’s return to the Bristol concrete, a layer of resin was applied around the track’s bottom grove in an effort to ensure multiple racing lanes would be present for both events. To the surprise of the drivers, teams, NASCAR and even Goodyear, the on-track product was nigh on out of control.

Well before the race’s halfway point, it had become clear that tire management could make or break the race, and by the two-thirds point it was up for question whether drivers could plausibly conserve tires to an extent that would allow them to finish the race.

Eventually, Goodyear had to call an audible and offer teams an extra set of tires to get them to the end of the event.

The scenes around the Goodyear garage, situated in Bristol’s infield near turns 1 and 2, were chaotic and tense, to say the least. By the time NASCAR approved Goodyear releasing extra sets to the teams, numerous crew members had shown up to be as close to the front of the line as possible, while officials had began ushering non-team members in the area away from the building.

By day’s end, tires were all anybody was talking about, and to call reactions varied would be an understatement.

Defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney had perhaps the most blunt take on the matter: “Did you enjoy the s*** show?”

“I didn’t have fun,” Blaney said after race. “What’s fun about riding around, grouping around there. You can’t run 50 laps unless you blow a tire, and you’ve got guys blowing stuff, creeping around the racetrack. I can’t believe there wasn’t an accident.

“You know what it reminded me of, the first half of the race? It reminded me of Daytona fuel saving … literally, we were two-by-two, creeping around there at quarter-throttle, saving your tires, and you just don’t know whether you wanted to go or not. They say they brought the same tire, but it’s complete B.S.”