Goodyear tires have been under the pump in the Next-Gen era. With the cars already being so similar, a tire with a lack of falloff presented a severe lack of short-track passing opportunities. NASCAR tried a softer compound at Richmond and Martinsville last year and even at Phoenix this year, with mixed results at best.
Now, in late June 2025, Goodyear held a high-stakes tire test at the revamped WorldWide Technology Raceway at Gateway (WWTR Gateway), evaluating new tire compounds under extreme track conditions. One Cup Series driver, racing for Legacy Motor Club, co-owned by NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, spoke about his experience testing out the new compound ahead of NASCAR’s race at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).
Goodyear’s gamble under fire after brutal getaway tire test
Well, Goodyear’s tire test quickly became a stress test, not just for the tires but also for the drivers. With heat working against them, the blistering conditions weren’t just uncomfortable; they were unforgiving. Only three drivers participated, one of them being legacy motor clubs, Erik Jones, who didn’t sugarcoat the experience.
Speaking to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Erik Jones went on to note with a laugh, “Hot. It was really hot, but…” It wasn’t just about how the tires performed; it was about the gamble. Goodyear was pushing soft compounds into test scenarios that may not reflect real race conditions. While the actual Cup race at Gateway will be held in September under cooler temperatures, the tire test occurred in late June with full summer scorch, raising questions about the validity of the data collected.
Jones had a good experience with testing, or at least one that was good for the team. He noted the value and confirmed long-standing suspicions, saying, “Yeah, I think we learn some good stuff. We needed to just kind of get some data on some things to back up what we thought, more than really a lot of the test items, so I thought that part was good.”
Perhaps the bigger story is Legacy Motor Club’s drought when it comes to testing. Jones noted this was their first test in years, a stunning revelation for a team trying to climb back into playoff contention. While this feedback helped LMC recalibrate after years of limited testing, the brutal conditions exposed a much deeper concern, one that could haunt Goodyear and teams alike as the season heats up. Jones added, “The tire side of it was pretty tough with the heat; some of the soft compounds were challenged with it being, you know, heat index over 100. I mean, you’re gonna have trouble all the time with a real soft tire in that heat. So overall, I think we learned a little bit. We haven’t had a test in years with Legacy, so nice to have a baseline.”
Erik Jones was one of three drivers at a Goodyear tire test earlier this week at WWTR Gateway. What he learned: @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/uGGy3yhFDA
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 28, 2025
Behind this drama lies the technical heart of tire performance: compound softness, grip, degradation, and pressure dynamics. Soft compounds deliver increased traction because of their pliability, but they also trade that strength for rapid wear, especially when track temperatures climb. NASCAR uses nitrogen-filled tires to mitigate pressure spikes from heat, but when you combine soft rubber with extreme climate, degradation will accelerate rapidly during cornering and braking.
The intense heat didn’t just affect rubber; it impacted the 18-inch Next-Gen tire design. Unlike the traditional 15-inch tire, next-gen tires have thinner sidewalls, meaning less flex buffer under lateral loads. Goodyear uses soft material to compensate for this; too soft, and the tire wall flexes dangerously; too hard, and the grip suffers.
As the dust settles from the test at Gateway, the real heat now shifts from the tires to the track and the stakes. From compound grip to competitive grit, Jones now has to shift gears fast. Because this time, the price is in durability data. It’s $1 million.
Erik Jones vs. Ross Chastain: friendship meets $1 million stakes
With the in-season tournament officially underway, Erik Jones won’t have much time to process data from Gateway. His focus now shifts to Atlanta Motor Speedway, the opening round of the five-race sprint, where strategy, speed, and survival could mean a shot at $1 million. But standing in his way in round one of the bracket? Close friend and playoff contender Ross Chastain.
The tournament consists of five critical races, Atlanta, Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and Indianapolis, culminating in a winner-takes-all finale at Indy on July 27. But as the field tightens up, so does the relationship between competitors. And no title is trickier than the Jones-Chastain matchup. Despite their off-track bond, Ross made it clear there are no friendly favors when money is on the line.
The watermelon man notes, “I know I’m not going to push that #43 car. Erik and I are buddies, but yeah, definitely not going to push him at the end of the race. So, looking for a bow tie first and my teammates if I’m pushing somebody, and the last person on my list is that #43.” The stakes aren’t financial; they are reputational. Chastain, known for his all-or-nothing driving style, praised Jones’ form in recent weeks, especially at super-speedway style tracks like Atlanta. He went on to say, “Erik and that I mean they’re rolling right now and all of Legacy is, and we see it at several different style tracks.”
He didn’t stop there. Chastain, who often raises inches from chaos, acknowledges that Erik Jones has carved out a quiet reputation as a fearless highline specialist. He said, ” Erik always performs well here in Atlanta and rips the top like he can run the top, and kind of cleans it off, it seems like when it’s still pretty dirty and slick. He’s not afraid, so he puts it right up there. We’ll see long 400 miles tomorrow night.”
Still, despite the bracket-style format, Chastain insisted the pressure hasn’t changed how his team approaches the weekend. For him, it’s still about executing cleanly, regardless of whether the competition includes friends or rivals. For Jones, though, this match-up comes at a time when legacy is finally gaining momentum, making the potential to advance in the bracket and possibly score that million-dollar win more real than ever.
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