IndyCar adds alternate tires for Nashville finale

IndyCar’s teams and drivers will have additional options for their tires and strategies going into the season finale next weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. In an announcement this afternoon, the series, in partnership with Firestone have added an alternate tire compound for the race Sept. 14-15.

The alternative, softer compound will be used in addition to the harder primary tires as “another set of options, strategies and choices for drivers and teams as IndyCar continues to enhance wheel-to-wheel racing action and turbocharge the championship weekend,” according to the press release.

The weekend’s tire allotment has been updated to note that each entry will receive six sets of primaries and four sets of alternates. Teams may use their weekend allotment unrestricted in practice and qualifying, but are required to use one set of primaries and two sets of alternates for the race.

How will it be enforced?
Similar to the format on road and street circuits, cars must log a completed two laps on each set of required tires, with a failure to comply resulting in a one-lap penalty at a minimum.

One of the other new elements to the event are that there are no requirements whether the tires utilized during the race are new or used. This will mark the second time alternate tires have been used on an oval, with the other recent occurrence happening on Aug. 27, 2023 at Gateway.

“Firestone has done a phenomenal job with this expanded format,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said.

“It will be interesting to watch how the different strategies play out. We look forward to an amazing race and championship for the NTT IndyCar Series at Nashville Superspeedway.”

Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Chevrolet pit stop

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

Additionally, each entry will receive a third and different set to specifically use during the high-line group practice to try and enhance a second groove.

“The time between the announcement of a new Nashville venue and the race itself was just seven months,” said Cara Krstolic, director, Race Tire Engineering and Production, chief engineer, Firestone.

“Our Firestone team rose to the challenge of an extremely short design cycle and its shortest-ever production timeframe to produce tires for a now heavier hybrid powered car on a track the NTT IndyCar Series hasn’t competed on since 2008.

Looking to create an “exciting race”
“Following two tests on the Nashville oval, we worked with IndyCar to create differentiation in tires that would provide fans and competitors with an exciting race. To achieve that goal, Firestone is providing an alternate tire for the Music City Grand Prix. Lessons learned from introducing alternates on an oval last season at St. Louis also contributed to our preparation.

“The goal for the alternate tire is to have significant wear and degradation to the point that team pit stop strategies could change as tires may wear before the end of a fuel stint. They are also designed for the different grip levels of the two types of tires to aid in creating more passing opportunities.”

The final weekend of the 2024 IndyCar season begins with practice at 11am ET on Saturday, Sept. 14, with qualifying set for 2:15pm. The high-line practice is set for later that same day at 5:15pm, followed by final practice at 6pm. The race, set for 206 laps on the 1.33-mile oval, is set for Sunday, Sept. 15 at 3pm.