“It’s not gonna look any different”- Chase Elliott gives a bitter reality check on Goodyear’s new tire compound  

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has given a brutal fact check about the new tire compound formulated for Phoenix Raceway.

On Sunday, March 10, at 3.30 PM ET, Phoenix Raceway will host the 54th NASCAR Cup Series race since the 1-mile track came into being. The fourth Cup Series weekend has already commenced, with the practice session done and dusted on Friday.

NASCAR tire partner Goodyear announced bringing in a fresh set of tire compounds that has a higher gauge compared to the previous versions. Even at lower speeds, the Goodyear 15-inch Speedway Radials will retain more heat in the rubber which becomes a prime factor for traction at a short track, where achieving high speeds like a superspeedway is a big ask.

However, as per Chase Elliott, the newly formulated compound is supposedly not showing significant signs of improvement as expected. Motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck shared an instance on his X (formerly Twitter) account, wherein a NASCAR insider questioned the #9 HMS driver whether the new tires have delivered a significant output or not.

Elliott replied:

"Man, I'll shoot you super straight. They change the tire all the time. Not only does it not make the racing look any different, but it's really hard to tell from inside the car. Regardless of whatever compound they put on -- and I'm not saying it doesn't change things, because it does -- but they are such minute things."

He added:

"It's not gonna look any different. You're never gonna hear about it. I don't mean that negatively, but the cars are what they are. We're racing on asphalt and there are four tires. It can only be so different. Typically, the same guys run good every week whether there's a tire compound change or not."

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Chase Elliott becomes the fastest Chevy driver at the Phoenix practice run

Team Penske's Joey Logano stood the fastest among all, clocking a 131.167 mph lap in his #22 Ford Mustang. Although Chase Elliott secured the P7 spot by registering a speed of 130.747 mph, he became the fastest Chevrolet driver on the NASCAR roster at Phoenix Raceway.

Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar stood as the second-fastest Chevrolet driver, reaching speeds of 130.199 mph and sitting at P10.

Elliott witnessed some improvements with the short-track package on his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 but was open about a greater scope of progress. He said (via Hendrick Motorsports' official website):

"We certainly have room to improve, but I thought we made it better. I like some of the characteristics that we were able to adjust on, which is always encouraging anytime you start practice and you start changing things."