NASCAR Cup Series teams will have the option tire to use during next month’s race at Richmond Raceway, the series announced Tuesday.
It will be the same premise as the NASCAR All-Star Race from North Wilkesboro Speedway, where teams will have both the Goodyear primary and option tires. The option tire is made from the same compound as the wet weather tires.
Richmond (Aug. 11) will be the first time teams have had an option on tires during a points-paying race, and NASCAR will not mandate when teams have to use the tires. But all four tires must match when on the race car.
“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,” said Goodyear director of racing Greg Stucker. “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.