Richmond Raceway Cup Pre-Race Thread.

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oh and......... We're At the Action Track this week!
 

Goodyear Racing Notes – Richmond Raceway​

NASCAR heads to historic Richmond Raceway this weekend, with NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams set to take on the Virginia track’s challenging 0.75-mile D-shaped oval.

Cup Series teams will run the same combination of Goodyear Racing Eagle tires used at Bowman Gray Stadium, Martinsville Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway earlier this year. The right-side tire is the same used as the “option” tire at Richmond last year. The left-side tire is slightly softer than last year.

This tire setup was first introduced at Martinsville last November, and was designed to deliver more grip and increased lap-time fall-off over the course of a run.

“This is the first time that Cup teams will see this setup at Richmond. It was introduced at Martinsville last fall as part of our continued effort to improve short track racing and performed very well at Bowman Gray, Martinsville and North Wilkesboro earlier this year,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “The track surface at Richmond is known for producing high tire wear and lap-time fall-off, so tire management will be critical.”

On Friday evening, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will also compete at Richmond, where teams will return to use a familiar Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setup. Teams will use the same combination of left- and right-side tires that has been in use at Richmond since 2022, and was also run earlier this season at North Wilkesboro and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Both series will have wet weather tires available in the case of inclement weather.

NASCAR Cup Series
Race: Cook Out 400 (400 laps / 300 miles)
Track: Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile oval)
Date/Time: Saturday, August 16, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-5254 left side, D-5256 right side

Previous Usage in 2025: Bowman Gray, Martinsville, North Wilkesboro (both sides)

Tire Circumference: 2,249 mm (88.5 in.) left side, 2,279 (89.7 in.) right side

Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF – 12 psi, RF – 30 psi, LR – 12 psi, RR – 26 psi

Total Dry Weather Sets: 10 (8 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to race / 1 practice)
Total Wet Weather Sets: 4
 

Goodyear Racing Notes – Richmond Raceway​

NASCAR heads to historic Richmond Raceway this weekend, with NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams set to take on the Virginia track’s challenging 0.75-mile D-shaped oval.

Cup Series teams will run the same combination of Goodyear Racing Eagle tires used at Bowman Gray Stadium, Martinsville Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway earlier this year. The right-side tire is the same used as the “option” tire at Richmond last year. The left-side tire is slightly softer than last year.

This tire setup was first introduced at Martinsville last November, and was designed to deliver more grip and increased lap-time fall-off over the course of a run.

“This is the first time that Cup teams will see this setup at Richmond. It was introduced at Martinsville last fall as part of our continued effort to improve short track racing and performed very well at Bowman Gray, Martinsville and North Wilkesboro earlier this year,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “The track surface at Richmond is known for producing high tire wear and lap-time fall-off, so tire management will be critical.”

On Friday evening, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will also compete at Richmond, where teams will return to use a familiar Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setup. Teams will use the same combination of left- and right-side tires that has been in use at Richmond since 2022, and was also run earlier this season at North Wilkesboro and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Both series will have wet weather tires available in the case of inclement weather.

NASCAR Cup Series
Race: Cook Out 400 (400 laps / 300 miles)
Track: Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile oval)
Date/Time: Saturday, August 16, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-5254 left side, D-5256 right side

Previous Usage in 2025: Bowman Gray, Martinsville, North Wilkesboro (both sides)

Tire Circumference: 2,249 mm (88.5 in.) left side, 2,279 (89.7 in.) right side

Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF – 12 psi, RF – 30 psi, LR – 12 psi, RR – 26 psi

Total Dry Weather Sets: 10 (8 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to race / 1 practice)
Total Wet Weather Sets: 4
Same tire set up as Martinsville. Oh yeah baby.
 
Ah the legendary Richmond night race. One of my favorite races of the year.......

....
...
...
in 2006
 
I’m not overly fond of Richmond, but it sure has given us some memorable moments.

Just for counterpoint - I'm actually a pretty big fan of this track especially at night (it's my avatar pic), it's the only one like it on the schedule. We've had some great racing here, and in the current era, it's one of the few tracks where tires dominate over fuel.
 
This race often has shenanigans happen. Including manipulating restarts, mysterious spin outs, and last year's wreck 2 cars to win (although Dillon deserved to win the race until a late caution ruined his race).
 
The entire field is within a half second now. Of course aero is an issue and probably worse than it was back in 2002, but to me the bigger problem with passing is the parity. The second car will ALWAYS be at a disadvantage and always has been, unless it’s a superspeedway. If the speed differential isn’t big enough to overcome that advantage, you’re not going to pass that car. There are no more crap-boxes out there. They’re all driving the same thing.
 
The entire field is within a half second now. Of course aero is an issue and probably worse than it was back in 2002, but to me the bigger problem with passing is the parity. The second car will ALWAYS be at a disadvantage and always has been, unless it’s a superspeedway. If the speed differential isn’t big enough to overcome that advantage, you’re not going to pass that car. There are no more crap-boxes out there. They’re all driving the same thing.

Otherwise known as Formula NASCAR . . .
 
Nascar is really cutting the teams close with tire allocations. The teams have been asking for more but they aren't getting them so it looks like tire management could be a factor.

I think that's going to be the story - the Goodyear notes indicate that the right side tire tonight is the same as the option tire in last year's race, and the left side is softer than last year. Tire management is going to be huge. I'm thinking I'm going to put money on the 11, ha
 
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