NASCAR Cup Series — Race No. 26 — 160 laps / 400 miles Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile oval) — Daytona Beach, Fla.
Fast Facts for August 25-26, 2023
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 18-inch Superspeedway Radials
Set limits: Cup: 1 set for qualifying and 7 sets for the race (6 race sets plus qualifying set)
Tire Codes: Left-side — D-5142; Right-side — D-5116
Tire Circumference: Left-side — 2,274 mm (89.53 in.); Right-side — 2,280 mm (89.76 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 28 psi; Left Rear — 28 psi; Right Front — 52 psi; Right Rear — 50 psi
Storyline — Handling a factor at Daytona: While ‘handling‘ is not what people first think of when it comes to racing at Daytona International Speedway, it does come into play more than at NASCAR‘s other true superspeedway — Talladega Superspeedway — and will continue to be a bigger factor as time goes on as we get further away from the last time the track was repaved for 2011. Specifically compared to Talladega, Daytona is slightly shorter and its turns have tighter radii. As far as the track surface, the heat and sun in Florida will cause the surface to age over time, causing it to lose a little grip. One other factor, this Saturday‘s NASCAR Cup race will start at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and run into the night. As the track cools, that will give the cars some grip, meaning that any handling characteristics will be heightened. That also puts more of an emphasis on handling. Having said that, still expect teams to employ some pit strategy, with four-tire, two-tire and fuel only stops all coming into play.
“While most people think of the draft at Daytona, handling is definitely a factor for teams,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear‘s director of racing. “Compared to Talladega, the configuration at Daytona means teams need to consider the balance of the car a bit more. Also, since this Cup race is at night and not during the day like the Daytona 500, the track will cool as the event goes on. Maintaining the car balance as track conditions change will be key in being able to run with the lead draft and compete for the win.”
Notes — Cup teams return on Daytona/Talladega tire set-up: Being on 18-inch bead diameter tires, NASCAR Cup teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Xfinity Series at Daytona this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires Cup teams ran at Daytona in February and twice last season . . . they have also run this same tire set-up at Talladega since the beginning of 2022 . . . with this 18-inch bead diameter tire, and its lower profile sidewall, NASCAR Cup cars do not run inner liners in any of their tires.
NASCAR Xfinity Series — Race No. 24 — 100 laps / 250 miles Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile oval) — Daytona Beach, Fla.
Fast Facts for August 25, 2023
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 15-inch Superspeedway Radials
Set limits: Xfinity: 4 sets for the event
Tire Codes: Left-side — D-6102; Right-side — D-6104
Tire Circumference: Left-side — 2,229 mm (87.76 in.); Right-side — 2,250 mm (88.58 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 26 psi; Left Rear — 26 psi; Right Front — 50 psi; Right Rear — 48 psi
Notes — Fourth straight Daytona race on tire set-up for Xfinity teams: Being on 15-inch bead diameter tires, Xfinity Series teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Cup Series at Daytona this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires these teams have run at both Daytona and Talladega since the beginning of last season . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, Xfinity teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Daytona . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — Race No. 18 — 175 laps / 175 miles The Milwaukee Mile (1.0-mile oval) — West Allis, Wisc.
Fast Facts for August 26-27, 2023
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 15-inch Speedway Radials
Set limits: 6 sets for the event
Tire Codes: Left-side — D-6114; Right-side — D-6116
Tire Circumference: Left-side — 2,218 mm (87.32 in.); Right-side — 2,244 mm (88.35 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 12 psi; Left Rear — 12 psi; Right Front — 30 psi; Right Rear — 27 psi
Notes — Trucks return to The Milwaukee Mile on popular tire set-up: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to The Milwaukee Mile for the first time since 2009 . . . teams will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires they have run at North Wilkesboro, Gateway, Richmond and Indianapolis Raceway Park already this season . . . they will also run this same tire set-up on Championship Weekend at Phoenix . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, Truck teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Milwaukee.
Wet Weather Tires — Goodyear to bring wet weather tires to Milwaukee: Goodyear will bring its 15-inch wet weather radial tires to The Milwaukee Mile for the Craftsman Trucks, should NASCAR determine that conditions warrant . . . Truck teams will have a maximum of 3 sets of wet weather tires for the event . . . the Trucks have run this wet weather tire in competition at both the Martinsville and North Wilkesboro ovals this season . . . in addition to the obvious difference of a tread pattern versus Goodyear‘s dry weather “slick” tires, the “Goodyear” and “Eagle” lettering on the sidewalls of the wet weather tires is white, not the standard yellow.
— Goodyear Racing —
