FOLLOW ON: Twitter Facebook RSS
Superstore
AUCTIONS
Chris Graythen/Getty Images
One driver contends Kyle Busch's tire test will help him at Atlanta in October.

Did Busch get advantage in tire test? Biffle says indeed

Chase driver among the three at Atlanta track this week

By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
September 19, 2008
10:13 PM EDT
type size: + -

DOVER, Del. -- Some Chase drivers at Dover International Speedway this weekend are voicing concerns about Kyle Busch's participation in the recent Goodyear tire test in preparation for the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October.

Crying unfair advantage, Greg Biffle said the fact that Busch was the only Chase driver to participate in Tuesday's test is a "significant deal."

Autostock

No doubt that will help [Busch] because they had test data on the car and were able to gather some information for going back.

GREG BIFFLE

"I've got a really bad memory, and if my memory serves me correctly they said that they wouldn't use Chase cars to do tire testing once the Chase started," Biffle said. "It does give you somewhat of an advantage, certainly."

Busch, Travis Kvapil and Scott Riggs all participated in the one-day test to finalize the tire selection for the Oct. 26 Chase race.

Those teams were selected because they also participated in a tire test at Atlanta on July 21-22. Goodyear engineers felt that bringing back the same teams and drivers would maintain continuity and build upon the results of the first test. Using the results from that prior test, Goodyear returned with several potential race combinations to evaluate and chose the one that worked best.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company tested in order to come up with a new right-side tire that will give the Cup cars more grip as opposed to conditions during the spring race where several drivers complained the tires were too hard.

Biffle fears it will give Busch a clear edge on the Chase field in October.

"No doubt that will help [Busch] because they had test data on the car and were able to gather some information for going back," he said.

Points leader Carl Edwards said ideally no one would test during the Chase.

"In a perfect world no one would get to test and we would go to the racetrack and we'd race. I think that's the best thing," Edwards said. "It definitely would seem inherently unfair to have certain people in the Chase test the Chase tracks and others not, but I don't think one test will make or break the deal."

Page 1
Page 2

Jeff Burton, who sits fifth in the point standings, said the matter deserves some attention but he doesn't feel disadvantaged.

"I don't want to say it's not an issue but to this point in the year I don't feel like that anyone has been slighted in being asked to do a tire test," said Burton, who added that NASCAR should be mindful when scheduling the rotation of tire tests. "If we got in a situation where we had 10 races and we did two tire tests and we were a Chase team, and we were the only Chase team not to get invited ... then we might have some concern with that."

Busch himself said the test session won't necessarily give his No. 18 team an advantage in the Atlanta race.

"I think the tire actually is going to bring everybody closer together than what it did in the spring," he said. "You really saw the good drivers, you really saw the good cars come out and this will sort of even it up a little bit.

"We seemed to be pretty good there in the spring, and for our tests we really couldn't work on anything so I don't see it as though it was an advantage because you are strictly there doing tire tests for [Goodyear]. You can't change your car setup as soon as you get it close; you just pretty much stay with it."

Regardless of an advantages or lack thereof, drivers should more pleased with the new tire, Busch said.

"We got a better tire now than what we had in the spring, but the tire is only going to be better for eight or 10 laps," he said. "The car just doesn't have the amount of downforce it needs to run around that track, and the more and more you go you just get so loose in and tight in the center and loose off that you just can't stand it. It's going to be a tough race again -- same as what it was there in the spring. Not a whole lot different."

Stu Grant, Goodyear's general manager of global racing, said many people felt the tire maker was too conservative in the selection for Atlanta's spring race, the first for the track with the new car.

"Based upon the data and driver feedback at the test this week, we believe that we've found a solid package for the fall race," Grant said.

The End

Also

POPULAR ALERTS
or Create Your Own

Camping World RV 400

Race Lineup
Pos. Driver Make Speed
1. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 157.061
2. Mark Martin Chevrolet 157.054
3. Denny Hamlin Toyota 156.515
4. Kurt Busch Dodge 156.379
5. Greg Biffle Ford 156.284
6. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 155.676
7. David Gilliland Ford 155.615
8. Matt Kenseth Ford 155.541
9. Jamie McMurray Ford 155.514
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 155.501
Photo Gallery

Driver of the Week Eric McClure

ViewArchive

Remember To Check Out

All External sites will open in a new browser window. NASCAR.COM does not endorse external sites.
© 2001-2012 NASCAR | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
NASCAR.COM is part of Turner - SI Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network.