NASCAR recently decided to allow the use of wet weather tires at some oval tracks starting in the 2023 season, but they hadn’t been used in a Cup Series points-paying race until now.
Before this, wet weather tires were only used last year in a Truck race and the non-points All-Star Race, both at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
At Richmond on Sunday, it rained in the afternoon but then stopped enough for NASCAR to clear most of the water from the track. However, the track was still damp.
About 20 minutes after the scheduled start, NASCAR began the race with teams using wet weather tires. They ran the first 30 laps on these tires without any issues.
Interestingly, the racing on these wet weather tires, which have more grip due to their tread, seemed more exciting than what was seen later in the night on typical slick tires.
After 30 laps, when the track had almost dried up, NASCAR had teams make noncompetitive pit stops to switch to slick tires. Many fans didn’t like this decision, but NASCAR believed it was the safest choice since the pit road was still wet.
Denny Hamlin, the race winner, said it was groundbreaking and nerve-wracking, but NASCAR executed the plan well. His crew chief, Chris Gabehart, agreed, saying it went smoothly despite everyone being anxious since it was the first time.
NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, Elton Sawyer, praised NASCAR CEO Jim France for pushing for the development of wet weather tires for ovals. Sawyer said France’s vision helped avoid a lengthy delay in drying the track on Sunday.
Sawyer mentioned that NASCAR would keep working on improving how wet weather tires are used, but having this experience in race conditions was crucial for learning and making progress.
He emphasized the importance of letting teams decide tire strategy during races rather than NASCAR intervening, and he expressed confidence that they’ll reach that point soon.
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