New Tires, But Old Goodyear Doubts!

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025 | Edition #203

👋 Dear Motorheads,

It’s Dover next, there are just six races left before the playoffs, and the pressure is on as the Monster Mile hosts the penultimate round of the In-Season Challenge. And, we’ve got new tires as well. But with such big changes, all eyes are also on this unavoidable barrier.

On the track, there’s no shortage of buzz. NASCAR is rolling out new safety upgrades for one of the most important tracks on the schedule. And one of the long-dormant tracks may finally be making its Cup Series return.

📅 Weekend Schedule

🥊 In Today’s Debate

Dover Gamble Draws Fans’ Ire

The return at the Monster Mile this weekend could lead to similar results as the 2024 spring Bristol race. With the concrete surface sensitive to changing temperatures, the sanctioning body is trying to balance things out with a new tire. And once again, NASCAR is banking on Goodyear to do the heavy lifting.

Goodyear is using these all-new one-race-only tires for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, the D-5240s on the left, D-5260s on the right. The compound is specifically designed for Dover’s slick concrete, high speed, and the July heat, as the race has been moved from its usual April slot.

“Laying rubber down on the concrete surface is a key factor in the design,” said Goodyear’s Rick Heinrich, noting how the track goes from constant rubbering and un-rubbering phases between green flag runs and cautions.

Well, that works in theory, but the reality is that these tires have never even been tested. And this had raised a few eyebrows. With this curveball, the teams and the drivers will have their work cut out during the practice sessions. Unlike the Cup Series, Xfinity Series drivers will be working with a familiar setup, which is tried and tested

This weekend will also feature the penultimate round of the In-Season Challenge. Ty Dillon will be facing John Hunter Nemechek, while Tyler Reddick will battle Ty Gibbs, and the winners will face off at next week’s Brickyard 400 for the $1 million prize. And with four playoff spots up for grabs, the stakes are higher than ever as well.

It looks like NASCAR is taking a major gamble at a crucial point in the Season. And it could potentially decide who will compete for a million dollars next week, and challenge for the Bill France Cup later this year.

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🔮 Lucky Dog’s Perspective

Ford’s Greatest Missed Opportunities

Ford has a numbers problem. Not the kind that’ll show up in engineering rooms or spreadsheets, but a quick look at the entry list paints a pretty bleak picture. They’ve got 11 full-time cars spread across 4 teams in the Cup Series, but when you look at this driver pipeline in Xfinity and Truck Series, things don't look promising at all.

As things stand, only 10 full-time entries are carrying Ford’s iconic ‘blue oval’ badge across the Xfinity and Truck Series. And the Ford Performance lineup has thinned significantly. Riley Herbst has jumped ship to Toyota after moving to 23XI, while Hailie Deegan has switched to the IndyNXT. Tanner Gray is also with Toyota after moving to Tricon Garage in 2023, while Zane Smith remains with Ford in the Cup.

This isn’t a new issue. Ford’s development drought arguably began when Roush failed to replace Mark Martin with a formidable successor. Additionally, missing out on Kyle Busch Motorsports back in the day was also a massive oversight. When Brad Keselowski Racing shut shop in 2017, Ford lost its main Truck Series pipeline. KBM could have filled that void, especially with a program that developed the likes of William Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones, and Noah Gragson.

While that’s in the past, Ford is now at the mercy of Front Row Motorsports after they were promoted to tier-1 partner last year. Apart from Layne Riggs, they are short on options that could shine through at the Cup level. It’s a stark contrast from the Cup Series, where Ford seems to have dominated with Team Penske, winning every championship in the Next-Gen era.

But the story is very different when it comes to the feeder series. The manufacturer seems to be fighting for scraps and has a very short list of homegrown talent.

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll! 🏁

Should Ford Reinvest in the Truck Series to Rebuild Its Driver Pipeline, and Help Save NASCAR’s Grassroots as Well?

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 🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

NASCAR Drops Bold Daytona Gamble

Superspeedway racing has always been a dangerous affair. The action is wild, and things can go wrong really fast. After two brutal flips from Ryan Preece at Daytona in two years, drivers and fans have been demanding that NASCAR for a concrete solution to these safety woes. And it looks like they’ve made some big changes because of such fatal crashes.

That was one horrifying accident. Preece even noted his instant feeling after his wreck, saying, “I don’t know if it’s the diffuser or what that makes these cars like a sheet of plywood when you walk out on a windy day. But when the car took off like that, it got real quiet. All I thought about was my daughter, so we’re getting really close to somebody not being able to [walk away], so I’m very grateful.”

Now, according to a new rulebook update, NASCAR will roll out an A-post flap, which aims at preventing cars from going airborne during high-speed crashes. It’s designed to disturb airflow around the car’s A-pillars during spins, which will keep the vehicle grounded. That means NASCAR is looking to prevent Dale Earnhardt and Ryan Preece-like accidents. This is the A-post flap to expect in Daytona.

The update sounds promising. But the problem with Next-Gen cars going airborne is not just about airflow around the roofline. The underbody has also played a huge role in recent flips, and nothing’s been done there.

NASCAR has left no stone unturned in prioritizing driver safety over the years. They’ve paved the backstretch, added roof flaps, and now there's an A-post fix. NASCAR is trying, but Daytona might not forgive short-term fixes. Let’s wait.

  🎡 Roulette of Rumors

Abandoned Track Set for Another Life

It looks like NASCAR is back on the intermediate track hype despite the expansion on road course and street circuit. It’s the 1.5-mile track in Joliet, Illinois, is back in the mix and could be on the date for the Cup Series as soon as next year.

While there is no official statement yet, sources close to the situation have claimed that positive talks have been held, and the track could hear the roar of Next-Gen’s V8 engines once again.

Alex Bowman was the last driver to win at the venue, and then it was dropped from the NASCAR schedule in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. NASCAR chose to pivot from traditional ovals to Road America in Wisconsin, followed by the Chicago Street course. But with the Next-Gen car performing well on intermediate tracks, the venue is back in contention once again. The track is a home ground for Tony Stewart. He has won many races here. Even for Bowman, this was his debut win in Dale Jr’s #88 Chevy. Take a look.

NASCAR had its staff visit the site to assess what kind of work would be needed to bring the venue up to modern standards. We’re talking about potentially an eight-figure investment to meet today’s expectations, and Chicagoland could be the leading candidate to fill that open slot on the calendar.

And, the hype is real.

“I just believe that taking these NextGen cars back to Chicagoland Speedway would be a great race,” said Kevin Harvick.

While the 2026 schedule is currently in the works, the sanctioning body is also looking far ahead and has an internal plan prepared for 2031. And if Chicagoland’s name is on it, it would say a lot about the direction the sport is pivoting.

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  3. Charter Sale Gets Another Twist, NASCAR’s Battle With 23XI and FRM Intensifies-Full Story

  4. Throwback to Kyle Larson’s 75-Race Drought Breaker That Sent the Playoffs Spiraling - Full Story

  5. Dale Jr. Urges NASCAR to Draw the Line With Ty Gibbs Ahead of Dover - Full Story

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