"That is absolute BS": Ryan Blaney calls out Goodyear for "too extreme" tire falloff during 2024 NASCAR Bristol race

Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney was one of the drivers left frustrated after last Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite the race being full of unknowns for drivers and teams as well as the governing body themselves, the Team Penske driver did not seem to enjoy the unprecedented levels of tire falloff.

The 2024 Food City 500 saw the most amount of lead changes for a NASCAR Cup race in the track's history, with a record 54 lead changes during the 500-lap-long event. Drivers were seen with huge amounts of tire degradation on the track, which led to strategy and tire management playing a vital role during the race.

Ryan Blaney did not seem to appreciate what felt like an extreme measure from NASCAR's official tire supplier Goodyear to manufacture drama into the race. He told frontstretch.com:

"I didn't have fun. What's fun about riding around, creeping around there, can't run 15 laps unless you blow a tire and you get guys with blown stuff creeping around the racetrack. I can't believe there wasn't an accident. They say they bought the same tire but that is absolute BS."

He further elaborated on the extreme level of tire degradation throughout the event saying:

"That's just too extreme. I understand it's the right path but you gotta let us know, you gotta have a tire test and we have to talk about this before we come here and race so we have an idea of what we're doing."

Ryan Blaney's opinion differs from several drivers who reacted positively to 2024 Bristol Cup race

Several active drivers felt that the 2024 Food City 500 reinvigorated their, as well as fans', interest in NASCAR's short-track racing package with the Next Gen Cup car.

Despite not having the horsepower bumps everyone hoped for, softer compound tires as well as a combination of resin on the track yielded a 500-lap-long race with tire management as well as the utmost importance of strategy. Here are a few drivers who were excited with the way the race turned out:

Ryan Blaney will be looking forward to this weekend's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas for a slightly more normal routine race in terms of tire wear. The event goes live this coming Sunday, March 24, 2024, at 3:30 pm ET.