First Data 500 @ Martinsville - "OFFICIAL" Mencs Thread

Aunty's Tires



Goodyear Fast Facts -- Martinsivlle



Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series -- Race No. 33 - First Data 500
Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile oval) - Martinsville, Va.
Fast Facts for October 26-28, 2018


Tire:
Goodyear Eagle Short Track Radials

Set limits:
Cup: 3 sets for practice, 1 set for qualifying/start of race and 8 sets for race (+ 1 "scuffed" set transferred into race allotment from qualifying/practice)

Tire Codes:
Left-side -- D-4588;
Right-side -- D-4722

Tire Circumference:
Left-side -- 2,221 mm (87.44 in.);
Right-side -- 2,251 mm (88.62 in.)

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 10 psi; Left Rear -- 10 psi;
Right Front -- 23 psi; Right Rear -- 22 psi



Storyline - Taking rubber is key at Martinsville with concrete corners and cool temperatures: Relating to the tires, Martinsville Speedway's concrete corners behave differently than its asphalt straightaways, with the density of the surface making it more challenging for the rubber to continuously adhere to the track. Because the track's races are run early and late in the season, Goodyear brought a new right-side tread compound to the track last season to help rubber in the track in cooler temperatures. That move opened up multiple racing grooves and created more side-by-side racing. Goodyear's set-up also features constructions that work well to optimize the acceleration, deceleration and cornering required for Martinsville's combination
of long straightaways and tight turns.

"Martinsville, especially its concrete corners, is a challenge to take rubber in the 50-degree temperatures we expect this weekend," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of racing. "This right-side compound has been designed to lay more rubber in these cooler conditions. As the track takes rubber, it creates a second groove that has made the great racing at Martinsville even greater. The other consideration at this paper-clip-shaped track, with heavy braking in and acceleration off the corners, is that it requires a stout construction."


Notes - Goodyear returns to Martinsville on successful tire set-up: Teams in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run the same tire set-up at Martinsville this weekend . . . this is the same tire set-up these teams ran at this track back in March and twice last season . . . this left-side tire code (D-4588) has been run at this track since April 2013, while this right-side tire code (D-4722) debuted in April 2017 . . . this is the only track at which NASCAR teams will run either of these two tire codes . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Martinsville.



Upcoming tire test - Goodyear to hold confirmation test at Atlanta next week: Goodyear has a one-day tire test scheduled for Atlanta Motor Speedway next Tuesday (October 30) . . . the organizations (drivers) scheduled to participate are Chip Ganassi Racing (TBD), Joe Gibbs Racing (Erik Jones), Penske Racing (Ryan Blaney) and Wood Brothers Racing (Paul Menard).



--- Thx Goodyear Racing / Jayski ---

So to summarize what Six posted and add a couple more...

To The Rear @martinsvilleswy:

2: Keselowski (Adj.)

21: Menard (Engine)

23: Yeley

38: Ragan

43: Wallace

48: Johnson

51: J. Burton

66: Hill

78: Truex

99: Weatherman (Adj.)

All but Keselowski, Menard & Weatherman were for failing pre-race technical inspection
(Getting pretty crowded back there...should make for an interesting race to the front).

The Command is given...

Engines are started for the First Data 500 @ Martinsville

Kyle Busch leads lap 1.