Times wires
Saturday, March 19, 2011
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 teams back to square one in preparations for today's Sprint Cup race.
"The tire is a lot slower and it's going to be a little more difficult to drive," said Edwards, who starts on the pole.
Goodyear learned there was a problem Friday when the tires did not lay enough rubber on the track. The right-side tires lasted only about 30 laps before they began to disintegrate into a powdery substance. So Goodyear called for nearly 1,300 right-sides to be sent from North Carolina, and they arrived for Saturday's practice. Teams were given only one set to use over two sessions.
"It's not an optimal situation for anybody," four-time series champion Jeff Gordon said. "I feel like Goodyear is responding quickly and has created a safer environment for us. But anytime you change the tire the second day into the weekend, it's going to be a pretty major change. And it has been. The car balance is completely different, the grip level is completely different."
The tire now being used was raced at California and Kansas last year, but there was no testing data on the tires at Bristol.
How were teams preparing?
"A lot of reading and a little bit of guessing," said Greg Erwin, crew chief for Greg Biffle. "The car doesn't drive anything like it did most of the day (Friday)."
Biffle qualified his Ford second behind his Roush Fenway Racing teammate, but didn't get much work in Saturday because of a flat in one of the new right-side tires. But it's not as if he, or anyone, could even measure themselves against the competition.
Though speeds were registered, nobody knew for certain who was using which tires.
"That new tire, at very best, is probably three- or four-tenths a lap slower," Erwin said.
Gordon said speeds fell enough to "get your attention, and not make you very happy. … It took me a little while to understand I just needed to slow the car down because the grip had changed."