NASCAR Cup teams will have two different sets of tires to choose from in next month’s race at Richmond, marking the debut of the option tire for a Cup points event.
The prime tire will be denoted by yellow lettering; the option tire by red lettering. The option tire is made from the same compound as the oval wet weather tires.
The allotment numbers for the Aug. 10-11 weekend are as such:
- Two sets for practice, one prime/one option
- A prime set must be used for qualifying, which will then be transferred to the race allotment
- 8 stickers sets for the race – six prime, two option
NASCAR also announced that there will be one single 45-minute practice session at Richmond leading into qualifying to give competitors more track time.
The move is being made to enhance the racing at the short track. The option tire is intended to provide faster speeds but wear quicker than the prime tire.
This follows the use of the option tire at the All-Star Race in May at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing said in a statement: “As we continue the cooperative effort of the industry on short track package adjustments, we felt like Richmond was an excellent opportunity to build upon the results of the option tire used at the All-Star Race.
“The option tire uses our wet weather tread compound, and we saw how that compound performed in the drying conditions of the opening laps at Richmond in the spring. We expect the option tire to provide a significant lap time gain over the prime, but fall-off will be greater, and tire management will be important in taking advantage of it at the right time.”