NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar and his peers battled Sunday’s unusual conditions at Bristol Motor Speedway, experiencing what for many became a test of tire management and patience in the Food City 500.
After several years of using red clay on the track, which received mixed reviews, NASCAR made a change at Bristol for the 2024 season. In its place, workers put down resin on the track to combat the slick, oil-like feeling drivers experienced with PJ1 last year at Bristol. However, the result might not have been what everyone was hoping for.
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While there was plenty of excitement during the race, including a new NASCAR record of 54 lead changes, plenty of drivers weren’t happy with what the resin-based material did to their tires. Specifically, teams were going through tires at an alarming rate early on as they realized how quickly the resin tore through the tires.
“It was weird and interesting. I thought some rubber was gonna be laid down, but after the second run, we realized that wasn’t going to be the case. I hope I never have to run a race like that again.”
Kyle Larson on the resin-based material used at Bristol on Sunday
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There were nine cautions on the day and there were concerns after the first 200 laps that teams would run out of replacement tires. NASCAR did eventually step in, providing one extra set to as many drivers as they could. Ultimately, it became all about managing how much wear was put on the tires, leading to more conservative and managed racing down the stretch.
While drivers had mixed reactions to the experience, Hocevar perfectly captured what it was like out there on Sunday with a simple clip from Cars.
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Hocevar experienced his share of tire problems on Sunday, along with Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch and many others. While Bristol did lead to a lot of destroyed tires and ripped-up rubber, the “marbles” on the track also created a keepsake for some to remember an unusual short-track race.
While Hocevar placed 27th, the second time this season he’s finished outside the top 25, he clearly found a way to have a little bit of fun with the experience. Plus, as Jeff Gluck of The Athletic points out, Hocevar provides a weekly explanation on Twitter each week of what his driving experience was like on Sunday. At the very least, that should get Hocevar some more followers.
