William Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fugle, expressed strong frustration over the handling of tire wear at the recent Bass Pro Shops Night Race, raising concerns about the direction of the William Byron Bristol tire controversy. The September 13 NASCAR playoff elimination event at Bristol Motor Speedway saw unexpected tire cording and confusion in the garage as teams struggled to adapt to Goodyear’s new right-side compound.
Tires Become the Centerpiece of Debate at Bristol Night Race
The introduction of a new Goodyear right-side tire compound for the Bristol race quickly became the dominant storyline. Though the compound was designed to cord in less than 100 laps, Friday’s practice—run on a searing hot track—produced little noticeable wear over extended runs. This gave teams a sense that tire management would proceed similarly to other recent races at the iconic short track.
However, the race conditions on Sunday night changed everything. With temperatures dropping to 71 degrees ambient and 89 on the racing surface, tire cording was evident within just 20 laps after the green flag, blindsiding drivers and teams alike. As Fugle told SiriusXM NASCAR:
“We were told that that was the plan. They wanted it to be that kind of a race. I don’t know that it’s 100% a Goodyear thing. If we were running the old right-side tire, we were going to be within a couple of degrees of that threshold on the tires wearing or not again, too. So I really think… somebody has to put the goal on the wall. What do we want the Bristol race to be… I don’t even know what the goal is.”
This swift and dramatic tire degradation led to a cascading effect up and down pit road early in the race. AJ Allmendinger, who started on the pole, dropped from the top five after just 25 laps due to tire issues. By lap 40, every team had already dealt with cording problems, pivoting their strategies far earlier than anticipated. The unpredictability did foster excitement and led to 36 lead changes and 14 caution periods, but many competitors felt the race was less about raw competition and more about navigating the unforeseen tire challenge.
Questioning NASCAR’s Pursuit of Bristol Nostalgia
NASCAR’s aim to recapture the competitive spirit that made Bristol legendary in the 1990s loomed over the weekend. Fans and observers often reminisce about an era when tire management and side-by-side racing defined the spectacle. Despite delivering the numbers—a flurry of lead changes and incidents reminiscent of the track’s glory days—many inside the garage were not convinced the changes delivered authentic old-school racing.
Rudy Fugle, drawing on his personal memories, emphasized the distinction between manufactured drama and the organic, hard-fought battles of the past. He described:
“Are the fans wanting one of those two races, or are they wanting 1995? And if they’re wanting 1995, it wasn’t either one of those races in my opinion either. I was sitting in a grandstand as an 11-year-old kid watching the 1995, and it wasn’t like either of those races either. They were going all out… If you want 1995, it’s not going to come from a Goodyear tire. It’s going to come from cutting up the racetrack and redoing the concrete back to 1995, and then I don’t even know if the car can produce that kind of racing either, but that’s the first step.” (0:41 onwards) — Rudy Fugle, Crew Chief
Fugle’s remarks highlight a persistent challenge for NASCAR: striking a balance between innovation and cherished tradition. Bristol has undergone repeated transformations—from its original 22-degree asphalt banking to concrete with progressive banking in 2007, adjustments to racing grooves in 2012 to limit multiple lanes, an era as a dirt event, and now a return to concrete with engineered tire wear. With every modification, the quest to rediscover the elusive formula that once made Bristol a standout continues.
Playoff Field Shrinks as William Byron Advances
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race also closed out the first round of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, with four drivers eliminated: Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, and Josh Berry. This leaves twelve contenders, including William Byron, to battle on in the next stage.
The night was challenging for Hendrick Motorsports. Alex Bowman, despite finishing as the highest-placed Hendrick driver, missed advancing by ten points. Chase Elliott’s bid faltered after a crash at Lap 310, preventing him from finishing and putting his playoff standing at risk. Kyle Larson faced mechanical trouble, dropping to 32nd by race’s end—five laps behind the leader.
Meanwhile, William Byron maintained composure and navigated the challenging track conditions. Starting from seventh position, Byron ran inside the top five throughout the first stage, carefully managing tire wear and strategizing around the unpredictable surface. His 12th place finish was enough to secure him the second playoff seed entering the Round of 12, level with Larson at +24 over the elimination line. Elliott sits in seventh with a slim +5 point cushion.
What Awaits in the Round of 12: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Next, the playoff battle shifts to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 21. The 1.058-mile, flat oval will run 301 laps, providing a stark contrast to Bristol’s high-banked short track. Tire management and corner entry will again play central roles—issues exacerbated by the turmoil witnessed at Bristol.
For William Byron, New Hampshire has proven difficult in previous visits, with no top-10 finishes in seven starts and an average result of 17th. The pressure will be on both Byron and Hendrick Motorsports to adapt quickly and avoid being caught off-guard as they were during the Bristol tire controversy.
The broader debate about the future of Bristol remains unresolved, as officials weigh how best to combine the track’s storied history with today’s high-tech cars and ever-evolving tire technology. Rudy Fugle’s pointed critique, combined with the drivers’ on-track experiences, ensures that NASCAR’s approach to tire selection and track preparation will face continued scrutiny in the weeks ahead.
🗣️ "I don't even know what the goal is […] I don't even know what we're trying to achieve."@TeamHendrick Crew Chief Rudy Fugle shared his thoughts on the @GoodyearRacing tire wear at @ItsBristolBaby over the weekend.
More from #TMDNASCAR → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/OydiR9p9LL
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) September 15, 2025
