Following a tire test in July, Goodyear has solidified its tire compound that it will bring to the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Mobil 1 301. According to a press release from the tire manufacturer, the tire compound that the NASCAR Cup Series teams will use this weekend will be the same compound that was last used at Richmond Raceway a month ago.
The left side tires for Sunday’s race will be Goodyear tire code D-5254, and the right side tires will be tire code D-5256.
The tire compound led to a great lap time fall off throughout the evening in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond, a race that was ultimately won by Austin Dillon, the driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
In all, the race at the 0.750-mile Richmond Raceway featured 24 lead changes among 11 drivers, matching the most different leaders in a race at Richmond since April 2023.
Prior to the August race at Richmond Raceway, the tire compound was utilized earlier this year in the Clash at Bowman Gray, the Spring race at Martinsville, and the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.
Notably, the Clash at Bowman Gray was widely accepted as the best iteration of the event in years, while the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro was also an improved show from a season ago with the tire compound.
With the past performance of this tire at other flatter, shorter tracks this season, there should be an expectation of an improvement in the racing product on Sunday.
Goodyear will bring an allotment of nine sets of the tire compound, which includes seven new sets for Sunday’s race, as well as one set for practice, and an additional set for qualifying, which can be transferred as a scuffed set of tires in Sunday’s race.
There will also be four sets of wet-weather tires available for the NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in case weather plays a factor in the race, as was the case last season.
As for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, teams will utilize left side tire code D-6114 and right side tire code D-6116. This tire compound was also used in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and Richmond earlier this year.
NASCAR Truck Series teams will have a total of five sets of dry weather tires for the race weekend. Three new sets will be reserved for Saturday’s race, while one set will be utilized in practice, and one set will be scuffed in qualifying and will transfer to the start of Saturday’s race.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams will have three sets of wet-weather tires to bolt on in case of weather issues at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
