NASCAR Cup Series Practice Report: Tire Issues Dominate at Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, KS – A series of tire failures underscored the NASCAR Cup Series practice on Saturday at Kansas Speedway, as teams navigated the delicate balance of low tire pressures. Key drivers, including Shane van Gisbergen, Ty Gibbs, Brad Keselowski, and Chase Briscoe, experienced left-side tire issues, prompting concerns ahead of the race.
Van Gisbergen, Gibbs, and Keselowski encountered flat tires in rapid succession during the initial practice session. Briscoe, part of the second practice group, also reported a tire failure, marking a challenging session for various teams.
Keselowski noted a slight warning before his issue, stating, “I was going through [Turns] 3 and 4, and it felt a little soft. Thankfully it did give me a warning, so I didn’t spin out and crash. We’re just all pushing the cars to the limit. I didn’t think we were going to be that close, but we’ll work on it and get it better for Sunday.”
Goodyear had provided a new left rear tire compound compared to the previous year’s race at Kansas, with the right-side tires remaining unchanged from the past two events at this track. Teams were advised to maintain a pressure of 22 psi in the left rear tires.
In a concurrent incident, Zane Smith suffered a right-side tire failure that led to a crash into the wall exiting Turn 4. Reflecting on the incident, Smith remarked, “We saw the issues in the first group, and then I thought we were safe on the pressures we were running. Unfortunately, out of nowhere, I blew a right rear, and it tagged the fence.” Despite the setback, he expressed confidence in his team’s performance, stating, “Before that happened, though, an unbelievably fast Horizon Hobby Ford. I feel really good about our car; I felt our long run pace was as strong as anybody’s.”
As teams regroup for Sunday’s race, addressing tire durability will be paramount for a successful outing at Kansas Speedway.
