Cup Series teams competing at Richmond Raceway in August will have more tire options during the race according to an announcement from NASCAR.
The teams will now have two Goodyear tire choices available for the regular-season race. One will be softer with the possibility of more grip but more tire wear. The prime tires will have less grip but will last much longer in race conditions.
The option tires will have red lettering on the sidewall. The prime tires will have the traditional yellow lettering.
NASCAR first tested the option tire during the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May. Now the tires will make their debut during a points-paying race.
With NASCAR introducing the option tires for Richmond, competition officials have decided to make a change to the weekend format. There will now be an extended practice session at the .75-mile Virginia short track. Teams will have one set of options and one set of primes available for the 45-minute session.
Like the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, teams will not be able to mix and match the two different sets. For example, they can not put prime tires on the right side of the car and then options on the left side. All four tires must be of the same type.
There will be one big change, however, in that the teams will be able to start the race on the tire type of their choosing.
The tire allotment for the weekend will include eight sets of sticker tires. There will be six sets of prime tires and two sets of option tires. Teams must use one set of prime tires for qualifying. This set will then transfer over to the Cup race.
There are multiple short tracks on the NASCAR schedule, so why did the sanctioning body choose Richmond to make this change?
As Elton Sawyer, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, told NASCAR.com, Richmond is a regular-season race. It provides an opportunity to test out the options whereas other remaining shorter tracks would not.
Bristol hosts the elimination race for the Round of 16. Martinsville hosts the elimination race for the Round of 8. Phoenix hosts the championship race.