NASCAR on NBC podcast

Texas: Tough times with tire durability; William Byron vs. Denny Hamlin and a missed call for NASCAR; Tyler Reddick’s inspiring ties that bind

Episode Summary

NASCAR on NBC analyst Kyle Petty on why he thinks NASCAR could have thrown in the towel early on Texas; the controversy over tire failures and the ugly memories that it can prompt; William Byron vs. Denny Hamlin and a missed call by NASCAR; the inspirational bond of race winner Tyler Reddick and his loyal crew; what awaits at wild card Talladega in a wide-open playoffs.

Episode Notes

Why KP thinks NASCAR should have called the race after Kevin Harvick’s wreck (1:00); “I’m not good with popping a tire every 35 laps. I’m not good with this car going into the wall” (3:15); who was to blame for the tire problems at Texas? (5:30); would shortening a 500-mile playoff race for safety reasons compromise its integrity in any meaningful way? (7:30); how the current state of the Next Gen factors into KP’s thinking (10:00); why Texas was reminiscent of the ugly tire war era of the 1990s (12:00); why tire competition is a bad idea (14:30); the concept of tire management and what should be expected at an elite level of racing (16:30); and how the concept of tire management has evolved (19:30); trying to find the happy medium of the tire that falls off instead of popping (21:30); William Byron vs. Denny Hamlin (25:00); how should NASCAR have handled penalties (27:30); why KP believes a postrace punishment isn’t warranted for Byron (30:00); how did NASCAR miss the initial call? (32:00); on Byron’s reaction in the incident (33:30); a MotorMouths of the Race quote from Tyler Reddick on his No. 8 team (36:00); why Reddick and the team keep succeeding despite the awkward circumstances (38:30); Talladega – the original wild card! -- amid a sea of mediocrity (41:00).