Well, it all started with Denny Hamlin sharing a rumor on his podcast about a tire — not just any rubber, but a right-side Goodyear so soft it destroyed the factory’s sand-belt wear tester before it ever reached the track. He loved the idea of chaos, but he also worried this could backfire. And as Goodyear confirmed they were bringing something softer for Bristol, fans were drooling, drivers were curious, and media arms were waving like checkered flags. Then came Friday’s practice session, and the dream went sideways.

The Bristol weekend has already started with a little bit of controversy. Justin Haley and Ryan Blaney tied for the fastest lap in NASCAR Cup Series practice at Bristol, each laying down a 15.307-second flyer, but the biggest story might be what didn’t happen: the expected tire chaos. Their matching lap times put them atop the chart, with the top 13 drivers just a tenth off, including several playoff contenders. But while eyes were on the stopwatch, ears were tuned to the whispers about Goodyear’s new software tire compound making its Bristol debut. So, how did it play out in Bristol practice?

Well, not quite as advertised. Drivers were able to run 75 lap times without issue, and the fall-off, while present, was moderate, about two-tenths after 10 laps, half a second after 30, and eight-tenths after 75. Notably, Jeff Gluck pointed out that in group A practice, “no one has fallen off more than 0.4 seconds from their five-lap average to their 30-lap average.” He also noted that a half dozen cars have done at least 50 to 60 laps with no problem, with Justin Haley reaching the 75-lap mark with ease. As Gluck bluntly put it: “Not looking like the highway thing will be a factor.”

So, understanding the tire change, it came in response to two relatively dull races with minimal wear, a stark contrast to the Richmond race and the 2024 Bristol race that saw tires fall off, drivers sliding all over the place, a record 54 lead changes, and widespread praise from fans and drivers alike. That event set a new bar, pushing Goodyear to experiment with soft compounds at other tracks like Richmond, where high tire wear spiced up the show. In those races, tires barely survived 50 laps, lap times dropped off dramatically, and the product on track improved noticeably. However, things look different this year.

To make things trickier, the PJ1 compound on the bottom groove is beginning to wear off, meaning drivers may have to move up into less rubbered-in lines with less grip, adding another layer of unpredictability. And Dale Jr. had so much confidence behind this experiment, and now it is starting to fall flat. So while the tire story isn’t living up to its high-wear hype just yet, it’s still creating plenty of questions heading into Saturday night. And just say the fans weren’t happy with what they were seeing.

NASCAR fans boo the Bristol tire experiment

Even amid AJ Allmendinger breaking a 13-year-old oval curse at Bristol, fans are lowering their expectations moving ahead to the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. The fan comments after practice were, unsurprisingly, all over the map, from sarcasm to outright exasperation. One fan summed up the dissolution bluntly: “F— it, no tire changes for the entire race.” Another chimed in with a pointed reality check, saying, “This is why you should lower your expectations and not put 100% faith in those who sensationalized the rumblings on the tires.”

The only hype around the right soft tire didn’t seem to live up to what many had hoped, prompting someone to jokingly suggest, “F— it, have them go the opposite direction.” The general vibe was a disappointment, especially in comparison to recent races: “⁠Booooooooo with this next-gen car; the higher tire wear seems to make the short tracks much better racing (Richmond this year). Goodyear came to Bristol with a “softer” right-side-only tire, but that doesn’t always equal more tire deg nowadays, lame.”

At Richmond in 2025, Goodyear’s soft left-side and optional right-side tires finally delivered the kind of wear fans have been craving, with lap times dropping by more than three seconds over a 40-lap run. The track’s naturally a razor surface, which amplified the effect, creating a real fall of that first team into tough strategy calls and raising concerns about whether the limited tire assortment would be enough. Unlike other short tracks, the Next Gen car’s design tends to blunt degradation.

Richmond stood out this year for producing noticeable tire wear, as well as lead changes and the kind of varied racing many insiders said they had been missing. However, fans had similar expectations coming into Bristol, and now the illusion of soft tires is starting to wear off on them. And perhaps the most theatrical reaction came from a fan who felt completely betrayed by the buildup: “Those b——s lied to me, they promised tire wear to bad it would rip the body panels of the car by lap 2.” And now, as the fans head to the Bristol night race with disappointment, Goodyear’s faith in this new experiment has failed the fans.