How often do NASCAR drivers change tires? Everything you need to know

Racing hard lap after lap puts pressure on a race car's tires, eventually leading to a loss of grip. To keep pushing the car to the limit until the chequered flag, NASCAR drivers opt for a change in tires during pit stops.

Tires are one of the most crucial parts of any car. They essentially connect the vehicle with the road through a small contact patch. Although the basic principle between road-biased and racing tires is the same, the latter are designed to withstand high temperatures and speed for a longer duration while providing maximum grip.

NASCAR tires stay in their optimum operating range for 40 to 60 laps on superspeedways like Daytona or Talladega and around 100 to 120 laps on shorter tracks such as Martinsville or Charlotte. Drivers or teams take calls on tire changes depending on the racing conditions. However, the decision to change tires cannot be taken casually, as the number of tire sets allotted for a race weekend is limited.

Primarily, the call for tire change is dependent on the compound used. Racing tires use a softer compound than normal road-going ones. This is done to ensure that the race car can reach and sustain higher speeds safely for a certain number of laps.

Another factor which comes into play is the surface of the race track. Some are made of asphalt, while some are made using concrete. The level of abrasion of the track affects the wear and tear of the tire, prompting change.

Another factor necessitating tire change during a race is weather. Friction caused by high-speed runs keeps raising the tire temperature. Adding to the impact is the track temperature which changes as per the weather around the circuit.

Additionally, a driver's need to charge through the field to gain an advantage in the race is also a factor. Teams generally use multiple sets of fresh tires to allow drivers to push the car to its limit. Using all data, teams formulate a strategy suitable for every race.

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"The tires held up really well" - NASCAR Cup Series managing director Brad Moran on successful completion of wet weather tire testing at Homestead-Miami

Goodyear tires and NASCAR have been pushing for wet-weather tires for intermediate and short track for the past few years. Following the Straight Talk Wireless 400 race, NASCAR successfully conducted a series of tests on the new-age tires at Homestead-Miami.

Cup Series managing director Brad Moran spoke about the test on a recent SiriusXM NASCAR podcast.

"They wet the track down the night before, so (the track) was damp, and they got it wet prior to the start of the test. From my reports, and we'll go through this thoroughly later today in our competition meeting, the tires held up really well. They did a great job," Moran said.

"They were running up against the wall and kind of all over the racetrack in the wet. There was some spray, which we anticipated. The speeds are obviously much higher when we go to mile-and-a-halfs, so we’ve probably got a little work to do there. But overall, it was a really good test. All three drivers agreed on the tire they all liked; they were all in agreement that it was the best tire. We gained a lot," he added.

Three drivers took part in the test. They were Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports), John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club), and Ryan Preece (RFK Racing).