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NASCAR's low downforce package proves quite a test for Goodyear

Goodyear officials say NASCAR’s new low-downforce aero package in the Sprint Cup Series has necessitated changing many of the tire selections at series’ tracks this season.

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Goodyear

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Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Ford Goodyear tire test
Goodyear tires

“The grip lost due to the reduction in downforce can be offset by mechanical grip through the tires.  Testing a wide variety of tracks, along with analyzing the data from the race weekends as we go, has helped us find the right balance,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing.

A plethora of tire tests

Goodyear last month conducted tire tests at Pocono and Indianapolis. Testing continues this month on the recently re-paved surface at Watkins Glen (N.Y) International, Michigan and New Hampshire.

“We wanted to test at Pocono because it has been some time since it was re-paved and we like to keep up with the track surface, as well as seeing how this new rules package will race there,“ said Stucker.  

“What we found there was that the drivers liked the right-side tire we run at Indianapolis paired with a more tractive left-side tire to give the cars some grip. 

“This makes sense because Pocono and Indianapolis have traditionally asked for similar set-ups, and adding left-side grip has enhanced the racing at several tracks already this year with this lower downforce package.”

Keeping the balance as teams learn more

There is a concern that teams have already tried to make-up the lost downforce and some discussion NASCAR may make a bigger reduction next season.

“I know that every weekend you find some (more downforce). The interesting part about when they take downforce away and you find more is that it doesn’t always produce the lap time that you had before that,” said driver Jamie McMurray. “I don’t know how much they have found back.”

Given the changes Goodyear has had to make this season, there is little doubt additional changes in tires would be required next season.

In fact, NASCAR officials said Friday they continue to monitor teams’ work on restoring the downforce that was removed this season and changes are possible next season – both in the amount of downforce removed and the manner it is accomplished.

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