NASCAR needs answers: Will rain tires ever work?

By William Richard | Jun 11, 2018

BROOKLYN, MI - JUNE 10: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford, celebrates with his crew after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 10, 2018 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images) /

The FireKeepers Casino 400 was the first rain-shortened race of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season. Find out why I believe NASCAR needs an answer to the possibility of rain tires on ovals in the future.

Sunday marked the first official rain-shortened race of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season. Weather was an issue all weekend and put an early end to both Xfinity Series and Cup Series events on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Watching the rain drops fall, my natural instincts led me to beg the question: will rain tires ever been an option?

Obviously I am no expert at Goodyear, and I don’t have an answer to the question. My goal isn’t to pick a side in this post, but simply state that NASCAR needs to answer the rain tire conundrum with a firm “yes” or “no” in the foreseeable future. Here’s why.

As a fan, I want to know my sport is exhausting all options to put on the the best show possible. When the lights went out in Super Bowl 47, workers did whatever it took to bring the lights back on. When it rains during an NFL game, the teams continue play until safety concerns outweigh the ability of the players to play.

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Yes, racing is different, but in the same sense, I want NASCAR to have the ability to continue the show regardless of conditions. Of course, it is common sense that high banked ovals and rain don’t mix very well, but can we at least see a true test or attempt?

I’m not asking NASCAR to put cars on the track during a race weekend for an experiment, but I am asking for them to conduct a legitimate test that answers the burning rain tire question. We’ve seen rain tires on road courses for the Xfinity Series, which indicates that research has been put into the concept. Road races in the rain are fine and dandy, but at what point do we get to the nitty-gritty with the rain tire debate?

All fans want is an answer. Every time it rains during a race, I see fans on social media joking and pondering the idea of rain tires on ovals, so let’s get an answer. This could be something that revolutionizes NASCAR to feature multi-weather racing. If NASCAR can give a firm “yes” or “no” to the idea of rain tires, then we can quit pondering and have a true understanding of the situation.

To drive home the point further, NASCAR claims to be the best racing series in the world, so let’s make it that way. Other series run in a variety of conditions, so why should stock cars be any different?

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Thank you for reading! Of course, stock cars racing in the rain is a tough concept to handle, but the question needs to be answered. I’ve been a fan since 2002, and still to this day, I have never received an answer as to how NASCAR is trying to improve the ability to race in bad weather. Maybe one day, folks, maybe one day.