NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — The Next Gen car is no longer a stranger to the aged asphalt of North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Hundreds of laps have been run between NASCAR Cup Series practice, qualifying and the two All-Star heat races on Saturday night. Though it’s still difficult to predict what the competition during Sunday’s All-Star Race at the .625-mile track will look like, many drivers feel they have a better grip on the track than their cars do, given the slick nature of the surface.
Almost all agree that the bottom groove will be dominant during the 200-lap exhibition race.
“Once we got on track yesterday and we found out how much grip there is in the patches on the bottom of the track, it definitely is going to take the top, the middle or anywhere outside the bottom out of play,” noted Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
He admits to being slightly disappointed with the way the track has shaped up, as it will likely be incredibly difficult to pass on Sunday with the single-groove supremacy. Bell believes driver error will have the greatest impact on the race.
“One thing that’s unique about this track is that you’re sliding around like crazy. The potential for mistakes out of drivers is very high, and I think that would turn into guys missing the groove and passing,” Bell said. “I think there will be some contact.”
The second most common takeaway from the laps that have been logged in the Next Gen car involves tire strategy.
As the track hasn’t been paved since 1981, its abrasive surface has become notorious for wearing tires — something Cup Series drivers have been aware of since the first tire test was held at the speedway in March.
But still, employing the right tire strategy could make a $1 million difference.
When asked what his main concern for the All-Star Race was, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace had an easy answer.
“There’s probably three things: tire wear, tire wear and tire wear,” Wallace said with a chuckle.
Not even reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano has a straightforward approach to Sunday.
“It’s a gamble, no matter when you pit. If the caution comes out with 50 to go, if you put them on there, it’s a gamble. If you stay out, it’s a gamble. So it’s really hard to say what to do,” Logano said.
The Team Penske driver will be hot in pursuit of his second All-Star Race victory — his first came at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2016.
While Sunday’s race doesn’t involve championship points, the hefty winner’s check is not something Logano takes lightly.
“There’s a million dollars on the line. I’m not coming relaxed for that,” Logano said. “I know points matter a lot as well, but there’s not a lot of races where you can race for a million bucks. You probably need to take that pretty serious.”
Martin Truex Jr. is serious, too — seriously concerned.
After running 25 laps in practice, Truex reported the tires on his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing entry were “completely shot.” With that in mind, his leading concern for the All-Star Race is the long run.
Following the “competition break” on or around lap 100, only one additional set of sticker tires will be available for drivers during the final 100-lap stretch.
“Trying to figure out how to manage that and find some advantage after 30 laps will be a big challenge. How much can you save your tires and not go backward?” Truex said. “It’ll be a bit of a guessing game for all of us.”
Watch more from North Wilkesboro below.