Following the Cup Series race at Las Vegas on Sunday, a select few drivers stayed back at the Sin City for a tire test that NASCAR had planned along with Goodyear. William Byron, who finished third, will be one of them.
Byron spoke to Fox Sports after the race and detailed his expectations for the test. “Definitely happy to do the test,” he began.
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“Hopefully, we can learn a lot. The last time we tested, I can’t remember the track, but we came up with a lot of information that helped us a ton. So, hopefully, we can use that information tomorrow and help our program throughout the year. Because the No. 11 was really strong today. All the Toyotas. So, still got work to do,” the Hendrick Motorsport driver added.
The Las Vegas race was the first true test of the 2026 season, being the first race at an intermediate track this year. Hamlin reached Victory Lane with four other Toyotas following him into the top-10. Byron’s teammate, Chase Elliott, finished as the runner-up, and Kyle Larson ended up seventh. They were the only Chevrolets in the top-10.
Toyota’s dominance in the early part of the season has been apparent. Tyler Reddick used the blistering pace his No. 45 Camry XSE offered and won the first three races of the year. Ryan Blaney drove to victory at Phoenix in his Ford Mustang, and now, a Toyota is back in Victory Lane with Hamlin. This serves as a strong wake-up call for the bowtie brigade.
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NASCAR official explains the purpose of the tire test
Teams gather whatever information they can on the days when tire tests happen. This helps their individual programs and understandings. But the real work happens back in NASCAR’s shop with Goodyear. Brad Moran, Cup Series Managing Director, explained this on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio recently.
“Videos will take it back,” he said. “Break it all down. We have meetings with Goodyear every week. We will discuss what we learnt. A lot of feedback from the drivers and the teams. And, you know, hopefully, again, if there’s a change we can make, it’ll be made with everyone on board. That’s how we have gotten to where we are.”
He went on to admit that the last three years, since the introduction of the Next Gen car, have been hard. But with time, he says, the right setups and tire dynamics are coming together. Notably, the short track race in Phoenix was particularly applauded for producing a better racing experience with the added horsepower and simplified diffuser.
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Fans can only hope that such positives stay consistent and the sport gets back to where it once was.
The post William Byron Hopes the Upcoming Tire Test Helps Unlock Potential to Match Toyotas on Mile-and-a-half Tracks appeared first on The SportsRush.
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