Hard Tires/Less Fuel and Is Two, Too Many?

By Keith Ott

  NASCAR, once again, has decided to help influence the event.  This time it’s hard tires and smaller fuel cells.  Both measures ostensibly to promote safety.  But, are we buying into that?  At best, I’m giving it a 30% safety / 70% TV ratio.  Certainly, the hard tires, with less grip, will lower speeds.  And, this accounts for all of my 30%.  Are they too hard?  This isn’t exact, but I believe Stewart had the best quote about the tires.  Something like, “If these tires were any harder, they’d spark hitting bumps.”  Now that’s a hard tire!  Tire formulas and how they react on certain tracks can be hit or miss.  Maybe they erred on safety’s side but I’m giving them a pass on this. 

  Now, concerning the 13 gallon fuel cells.  Allegedly, it’s so they have to pit more often to look at their tires.  You know, just in case they’re wearing too much.  That reasoning makes as much sense as asking for another card while playing Black Jack and holding 2 Kings (I knew I could work Vegas in.).  This call was made solely to bunch up the cars for TV with pit stops.  Isn’t “tire management” supposed to be part of the game?  Good setups/bad setups; Good driver care/poor driver care.  Aren’t they supposed to be in the mix?  They aren’t with these fuel cells.  They can drive like “Days of Thunder” because they can get new tires before it becomes an issue.  These drivers are the best that NASCAR has to offer. They did practice on these tires.  And, without NASCARs help, at this level, they should know when it’s time to come in for tires.

  Is two, too many?  I happen to agree with Ryan Newman saying that not all the places NASCAR races are deserving of two events (15 tracks have two events).  They don’t sell out.  The racing is poor at the track and on TV.  And, they are so similar it’s boring.  I can think of a number of tracks that could lose a date.  Pocono/Fontana, raise your hands.  Get rid of some of these “Lead weight” events and get some more diversity on the schedule.  Revisit some of the old battlefields.  Look at some new ones.  I might even toss a quality dirt track in the mix.  Not much of a dirt fan.  But, if you put the likes of Stewart, Gordon(s), Harvick etc. on the dirt it would be like a breath of fresh air in the season.  NASCAR, you’ve served us Mom’s patented Ol’ Chili recipe since the 90’s.  It’s tried and true, but we always know what to expect.  It’s time to call Emeril Lagasse and “Kick it up a knotch!”

Let’s have some good racing this weekend…influenced or not.