Daring predictions from Goodyear relating to its new tire compound debuting this weekend, together with modifications to Watkins Glen Worldwide’s observe, are making for a difficult duo for drivers and groups to beat for Sunday’s Cup playoff race.
“Watkins Glen isn’t the everyday Watkins Glen that we’ve seen prior to now,” defined Joey Logano, who’s the one driver locked into the Spherical of 12 after his Atlanta victory. “They’ve modified some issues to the observe. They’ve added rumble strips off of flip one that stops us from dropping approach exterior of the curb. They’ve modified the curbing to the bus cease itself to the place you received’t be launching them into the nook as a lot, after which additionally they added rumble strips on the exit of the carousel to maintain us from dropping approach on the market, so the observe will race in another way.
“The automobiles will need one thing completely different from a setup perspective they usually’re additionally altering the tire, too. It seems like there will probably be much more tire put on, so there are a number of unknowns for positive.”
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang
Picture by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
That new tire, in accordance with Goodyear, is estimated to have as much as three seconds of fall-off, fully altering the technique on pit highway.
Logano’s Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney admitted that “I don’t know what to anticipate.” He believes the anticipated tire fall-off is an efficient change, as are the modifications to the observe itself.
“The modifications to the observe usually are not loopy. The bus cease entry curb is gone, in order that’s gonna be completely different. A few of the rumbles they’ve bought on the exit of the carousel in flip one will change a little bit bit, which I feel is optimistic for the racing. You received’t be capable to simply blow flip one and bail out to the apron and nonetheless have pace, so it would take a little bit extra precision.”
Final 12 months, William Byron led 66 of 90 laps with little or no motion all through the race. The highest-five finishers all began within the top-seven. In whole, there have been simply six lead modifications. Passing has proved troublesome on the blistering quick observe, ever since a repave a number of years in the past. Nicely, again in June, Goodyear held a tire check at Watkins Glen — inviting Tyler Reddick, Daniel Suarez and Austin Cindric (every repping one of many collection’ producers), to check a number of completely different tire compounds. Because of this, a wholly new tire compound will probably be utilized at that observe this weekend, and Goodyear says it would make for a “dramatically” completely different race.
Three seconds of tire fall off
Talking on the anticipated tire fall-off, Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing mentioned: “That, in fact, can imply extra passing all through the race. It’s all the time tough on highway programs as drivers benefit from a restricted variety of ‘passing zones,’ so the elevated fall-off ought to result in extra comers and goers as some drivers handle their tires and acquire on the sphere because the runs go on.”
And the crew chiefs appear to agree. Legacy Motor Membership’s Dave Elenz, who works atop the field for Erik Jones, mentioned of the modifications: “You’re not going to have the ability to keep out on outdated tires and hold your observe place. Like a few of these guys have achieved prior to now, you’re going to must put tires on them when the warning comes out and work onerous to get that place again. This would be the most fall off we’ve ever had.”
Groups will get a (barely) prolonged observe at Watkins Glen with Group A and Group B getting 20-minutes every on the two.45-mile highway course.
