NASCAR Cup teams face new tire combo again at New Hampshire

This time, teams do have some experience on the tire, as it was utilized in recent races at North Wilkesboro and last weekend at Iowa Speedway.

One year ago, NASCAR and Goodyear used the New Hampshire race to debut a new softer tire compound in the Cup Series.

The change came about following a meeting among Cup drivers, NASCAR officials and Goodyear representatives in which different options were explored to improve the racing product with the Next Gen car.

The New Hampshire change saw mixed results, there appeared to be more passing in the field, but Martin Truex Jr. dominated the race, leading 254 of the 30 laps on his way to the win.

NASCAR continues to look at ways to improve the racing on tracks around 1-mile and length and less and Goodyear will try another change at the 1.058-mile track this weekend.

This weekend, Goodyear has a new set-up that has integrated increased tread thickness, which is designed to keep more heat in the tires and lead to more fall-off over the course of a run.

In theory, as lap times fall off, it would lead to more comers and goers and thus more passing throughout the field.

“NASCAR teams have always been in a search for grip at Loudon,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We’ve made a couple adjustments for our tire set-up for this track over the past year-plus, as we continue to work on the short track racing package.

“After adding more grip at Loudon in 2023 with a tread compound change, we’ve rolled in a change that we have on all of the short tracks for this season by increasing the tread gage. That move helps the tire maintain more heat over a run which will, in turn, lead to more fall-off and more passing.”

With rain possible this weekend, Goodyear will also bring its wet weather tires to New Hampshire.

Cup teams will have a maximum of four sets of wet weather tires for the event. Teams last ran a wet weather tire in comPetition at Richmond in April.