6 most expensive NASCAR races for tires across a season, according to Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing recently took to Instagram to share the NASCAR races which were the most expensive for tires. These included the Coca Cola 600 and the Daytona 500.

Joe Gibbs Racing is a Huntersville-based NASCAR team that fields four drivers in the Cup Series. The team's drivers include Christopher Bell in the No. 20 Toyota Camry, Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 car, and Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 car. Chase Briscoe is also set to join the team and take over Martin Truex Jr.'s No. 19 car following the 44-year-old's retirement from full-time competition after the 2024 season.

According to JGR, Iowa and Bristol (night race) were tied for fifth and sixth position in the list of most expensive races for tires. With 13 sets used for each race weekend, the tire bill was $27,612 per car.

As a side note, Joe Gibbs Racing also runs cars in other NASCAR series including the Xfinity and ARCA Menards.

Moving to the second, third, and fourth (tied) most expensive races for tires, JGR listed Charlotte, Darlington, and Daytona. With 14 sets used for each race weekend, the tire bill stood at $29,736 per car.

The Charlotte stop holds the longest race in a season with 400 laps across 600 miles of racing. Meanwhile, the Darlington track has worn asphalt surfaces, making it one of the most abrasive tracks on the calendar. As for the Daytona 500, the race features qualifying races called Duel 1 and Duel 2.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell won the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 - Source: Imagn

Christopher Bell is the latest race winner of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs finishing in fifth and sixth, respectively.

The most expensive race for tires was the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With 15 sets used for the race weekend, the team spent $31,860 per car. That’s about $127,000 in the NASCAR Cup Series entries alone.

Since 1954, Goodyear has been supplying tires for NASCAR. The American tire manufacturer is the exclusive tire supplier in the Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks Series.

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Joe Gibbs Racing on why cars race on flat tires

Earlier this month, Joe Gibbs Racing explained why NASCAR cars go out on track with flat tires. The team said that running on flat tires could provide an advantage on short tracks, especially considering this type of track doesn’t have a faster average speed than intermediate and superspeedway tracks.

With lower tire pressure, the rubber around the tires has more contact area to the ground. This provides more grip, allowing the drivers to handle their cars better. Another factor for this tire strategy is temperature. When tires get hot, the pressure also builds up. As such, underinflating a tire reduces the chance of a blowout.

Considering NASCAR drivers only turn left, teams deflate the left tires only, with the right tires inflated as normal.

The amount of tire pressure depends on the team. With that being said, getting the optimal tire pressure for specific races and track conditions could provide an advantage.

Joe Gibbs Racing had a decent stint during the 2024 Cup Series season, with all of their drivers reaching the playoffs. Christopher Bell was the team's highest-ranked driver, as he finished fifth with 2412 points, bagging three race wins. Denny Hamlin also won three Cup Series races in 2024 and he finished eighth with 2328 points.

Martin Truex Jr. finished his final Cup Series season in tenth place while Ty Gibbs ended this season in 15th position.