BRISTOL, Tenn.-Carl Edwards had every reason to believe he had one of the best cars at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Then Goodyear called for a rare tire change in the middle of a race weekend, sending every team back to square one in their preparations for today’s race.
“The tire is a lot slower and it’s going to be a little more difficult to drive,” said Edwards, who is on the pole. “It’s a challenge for everybody.”
Goodyear learned there was a problem Friday when the tires did not lay enough rubber on the track surface. The right-side tires were subjected to considerable wear and lasted only about 30 laps before they began to disintegrate into a powdery substance.
So Goodyear called for nearly 1,300 right-side tires to be shipped to Bristol from North Carolina, and they arrived in time for Saturday’s practice. Teams were given only one set to use over the two practice sessions.