MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA - OCTOBER 29: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Nexletol Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2023 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA - OCTOBER 29: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Nexletol Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2023 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Goodyear to use softer tire at Martinsville

The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway will feature the softest tire compound at that track since the unveil of the NextGen car in 2022.

Specifically, the right side tires will be the option tire compounds used in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro and the summer race at Richmond but Goodyear is going even softer on the left sides.

This is all part of the strategy to improve short track racing at the highest level of the discipline, especially at the relatively flat Virginia half-mile, which has been most affected by the current platform.

NASCAR has added an extra set of tires for practice that weekend, two sets instead of one, plus an additional set for the race — 10 sets instead of 9.

Sportsnaut