Low downforce package means changes for Goodyear

NASCAR's new low-downforce aerodynamic package debuts this weekend at Atlanta and it comes with a "significant change" in the tires Goodyear will bring for the Sprint Cup Series each week. The adoption of the package to all tracks except the superspeedways meant extra work for Goodyear.

The tires NASCAR and Cup drivers most wanted to use with the aero package provide more fall-off (increased wear).

"It's a significant change when you talk about the amount of downforce that has come off the race cars so it's a pretty significant change in what we've done from the grip perspective," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of racing. In general we're landing with softer compounds, at least on one side of the car if not both. The other things we're trying to integrate on these mile-and-a-halves is a couple of new constructions we've been working on, which are actually a little bit more robust."

In theory, NASCAR believes the changes should help produce a better quality of racing, which was the case in last season's races at Kentucky and Darlington. Still, NASCAR and Goodyear will keep a close eye on the racing each week. Unintended consequences are always a possibility. Motorsport