The NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 8, will feature a new tire setup as Goodyear pursues even more tire wear.
According to a fact sheet from NASCAR's tire partner, the right side tires are the same from Michigan last season, when Tyler Reddick won. The teams also used these tires at Daytona and Talladega this season. The left side tires, however, are new for this season's race.
These tires made their debut at Charlotte in May during the Coca-Cola 600. Goodyear says that these tires deliver more wear and lap time falloff than the left side tires used at Michigan last season.
"Michigan is extremely fast with a track surface that is pretty smooth," said Stu Grant, Goodyear general manager of global race tires. "That relative smoothness will allow teams to potentially work in some pit strategy with two-tire stops, depending on the stint.
"For the fans, another great aspect of Michigan is that it has multiple racing grooves, enabling drivers to run different lines to affect their set-up and make passes."
This tire setup change takes place after Goodyear and NASCAR held an April test session at the 2-mile track. RFK Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing represented the three OEMs, with Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez, and Ty Gibbs all completing laps. They tested different compounds, which Goodyear could bring to various intermediate tracks.
As Goodyear explained at the time, Michigan is a smooth track. Tires do not wear naturally on the track's surface, nor does the heat dissipate as the tires wear. This can negatively affect the racing.
"It's certainly changed a lot over the years, just with how the cars have changed, but the racetrack itself is like the most consistent place I've ever seen," Chase Elliott said last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. "For a racetrack that has those hard winters. It just doesn't seem to get old, which is kind of crazy."
This weekend's trip to Michigan International Speedway will serve as the first test for the new setup. Cup Series teams will first take on the track Saturday morning at 9:30 for practice. This session will provide the first indication of whether the new setup will wear better than the last. Drivers will then take part in qualifying at 10:40 a.m. ET.