For the NASCAR Cup Series’ first points-paying race at North Wilkesboro Speedway since 1996, Goodyear will bring a familiar tire setup for 450 laps in the North Carolina mountains (Sun., 7 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Cup teams will use a package utilized twice in the past: each of the last two races at nearby Martinsville Speedway. Additionally, the right-side tires have raced twice this year at Bowman Gray Stadium and Phoenix Raceway.
While this is a new addition to the official Cup schedule, premier series teams visited the 0.625-mile short track each of the last three years for the exhibition All-Star Race.
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“Three years of All-Star Race data has helped us prepare for the NASCAR Cup Series‘ first points race at North Wilkesboro in 30 years,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “The Goodyear Racing Eagle tire package we are bringing is one teams know well and is backed by years of short-track data at the likes of Martinsville, combined with what we‘ve learned in previous years at North Wilkesboro, one of NASCAR‘s most historic tracks.”
Meanwhile, the Craftsman Truck Series will utilize a new tire setup. The right-side tires have raced several times, including last year at North Wilkesboro, but the left-side tires are brand new. The specifications used by the tailgaiters were first introduced for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Phoenix Raceway, but have yet to debut in the Truck Series.
Tire allotment for each team competing this weekend:
Cup Series: 10 total sets — 8 new for the race, 1 for qualifying, which transfers to the race, and 1 for practice. Teams will also have 4 wet-weather sets available, if needed.
Craftsman Truck Series: 5 total sets — 3 new for the race, 1 for qualifying, which transfers to the race, and 1 for practice. Teams will also have 3 wet-weather sets available, if needed.