Set limits: Cup: 3 sets for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 9 sets for race; Xfinity: 7 sets for the event; Truck: 5 sets for the event
Tire Codes: Left-side — D-4798; Right-side — D-4796
Tire Circumference: Left-side — 2,227 mm (87.68 in.); Right-side – 2,251 mm (88.62 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 22 psi; Left Rear — 22 psi; Right Front — 52 psi; Right Rear — 50 psi
Storyline – It’s “smooth” sailing at Texas: Track repaves, like the one Texas went through before the 2017 season, create a racing environment that poses several challenges – (1) fresh asphalt has a lot of grip, which generates a lot of speed and heat in the tires, (2) because the new surface is very smooth it doesn’t allow the opportunity for the tires to shed rubber, which could also cause heat problems, and (3) because little rubber gets worked into the track it is harder to create multiple racing grooves. Goodyear held two tire tests at this track during 2018 – January and August – which resulted in a new tire set-up for last fall’s race at this track, including a right-side tire that is designed to wear more and run cooler.
“The smooth track surface at Texas dictates that we bring a tire set-up that runs as cool as possible because tire wear will be at a minimum,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We tested extensively there last year and learned a lot about that new surface. This being only the fifth race for the Cup cars on this repave, the track has not had a chance to weather in like it will over the next few seasons. While it’s important for us to bring the right tire, it also becomes quite a team effort between Goodyear, NASCAR and the track to make sure that the asphalt is prepared even before teams arrive for race weekend. We provide the speedway with tires for them to run on their “tire monster” and rubber-in the surface. Doing that goes a long way to creating a second groove, and that has a positive impact on the racing.”
Notes – New left-side tire debuts at Texas: Teams in all three NASCAR series in action at Texas this week will run the same tire set-up . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Cup and Xfinity teams ran at this track last November, but it is the first time Gander Outdoors Truck teams have run this set-up at Texas . . . for the Trucks, compared to what was run at Texas last year, both this left-side and right-side feature construction and compound changes, which will add grip for those teams . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
