Carl Edwards: "I don't think those tires are good enough to be running on right now. They are just not holding up." Credit: Autostock

Tires prove to be big obstacle at Chicagoland

Oppressive heat ends up being too much for Goodyear package

JOLIET, Ill. -- Excessive heat always is on a tire's short list of enemies, but it was Enemy No. 1 on Sunday at Chicagoland.

High track temperatures and long green-flag runs proved to be too tough on Goodyear's tire package for the USG Sheetrock 400.

	Kasey Kahne limps back to pit road. Credit: Autostock
	USG SHEETROCK 400 •   Unofficial Results •   Unofficial Standings Waltrip wrecksMichael joins the list of drivers who have hit the wall More tire issuesSadler blows a tire and hits the wall in the tri-oval Kasey in the wallKahne slows and gets punted into the wall by McMurray Feeling downEdwards cuts a tire and hits the wall hard at Chicago Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

"This is the first appearance here for this tire," Goodyear product manager Rick Henrich said. "We quite possibly have brought a tire that is a little bit too soft, [and has] a little bit too much grip. The extra grip tends to generate heat under ideal circumstances."

Several teams found the wall after blistered tires gave way. Goodyear said the problems were caused partly by the tires not wearing properly, which significantly raised the tire temperature.

"It's [wearing] slower than anywhere else we have used that tire," Henrich said. "It wore at Michigan. It was perfect at Fontana."

The most vocal tire victim was Carl Edwards, who said Goodyear's Chicagoland tire package was too soft. Edwards took a vicious hit when his tire went down on Lap 79.

Edwards had spent most of the event in the top 10, but he appeared to cut a right-front tire heading into Turn 3. The crash sent Edwards to the infield care center complaining of head pain, but he was checked and released.

"To be honest with you, and I hate to say this, but the reality is that I don't think that tire is the proper tire to be on," Edwards said. "They are just not holding up. At least two right-rears came apart [Saturday] a little bit.

"After just experiencing a real big headache against the wall and ruining our day, I don't think those tires are good enough to be running on right now. They are just not holding up."

Dave Blaney, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson and Elliott Sadler also had problems. Blaney's crash was a replay of Edwards' when he found the wall on Lap 118.

"I don't know if I ran over something or what happened," said Blaney, who finished 38th. "By the time I realized it going into Turn 1, it was too late."

Jimmie Johnson, who led 21 laps, lost a lap when he pitted to replace a right-rear tire. Johnson eventually got his lap back, and he finished third.

Elliott Sadler wrecked on Lap 163 when he lost a tire and smacked the wall. He finished 37th.

Michael Waltrip, who wound up 36th, cut a right-front tire on Lap 215, and he said the problem came out of nowhere.

"I hadn't seen any problems with the right front," said Waltrip. "We'd been tearing up the right rear a little bit."

Kyle Busch called for harder tire compounds as the summer wears on.

"We have got to have harder tires on these cars," Busch said. "I know the shorter spoiler and softer tires were supposed to be the answer, but it's not the answer.

"It's definitely a problem."