Tire choice has been playing a big role in the NextGen Cup results this year. Goodyear rolled out a softer “option” tire for short-track races at places like Richmond, North Wilkesboro, and Phoenix to give drivers extra grip at the start, but wear out faster than the regular ones. While they’ve improved car control, sliding, and close racing, some drivers feel that frequent tire changes are shifting the way short-track racing plays out. And, Austin Cindric has been part of that conversation.

During the Phoenix Cup race, the Team Penske driver opted to run the red option tires, the softer compound. This move helped him ascend the field. Even in COTA, which is not a short track, NASCAR featured a new tire compound with more falloff, and Cindri opted for those. So, now, after using both red tires and option tires, Cindric is laying out some similarities between them.

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Softer tire package talks are back

“Tire management is the biggest variable going into the race weekend… This tire… hasn’t been on the racetrack before, so it’s new to everyone,” the Penske driver added. And, adding to his previous observations, Austin Cindric has yet again voiced how it has produced surprisingly competitive racing at every location.

“Yeah, we’ve run that short track tire throughout this year; it’s been a big change on paper, and it’s been pretty racy. So I don’t expect it to be. You know. I don’t have any big question marks heading into the weekend than just kind of adjusting for it. It’s very similar to the red tire that we ran in the Option Tire race last year, so I expect a lot of similarities and fall off and in balance characteristics to that. And that’s kind of what we’ve been working on as a team to kind of look at,” he said while talking to Steven Taranto.

NASCAR launched a points-paying race using a two-compound tire strategy in the 2024 Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway: the softer “option” tire (red lettering) and the conventional “prime” tire (yellow lettering). The alternative tire worked well. It was especially noticeable on Richmond’s small track, where drivers said it “fired off immediately and was more than a half-second faster than the Prime.” 

However, in reality, the tire package resulted in an exciting finish and a variety of team tactics. And, Cindric links the past with the present by interpreting the new 2025 short-track tire through the perspective of Richmond’s alternative tire experiment from the previous year.

And, if we go by Goodyear and NASCAR’s plan for the 2025 Cook Out 400 at Richmond and a softer tire package, Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s Director of Racing, has already highlighted the significance.

“They fired off immediately and were more than a half-second faster than the prime, which is big on a short track. Also, the options gave up significantly more than the primes over a long run. … The primes/options tire set-ups highlighted the risk versus reward we were exactly looking for.”

Even NASCAR’s VP, Elton Sawyer, applauded Goodyear, saying, “Their team has done a phenomenal job with the option tire… There was a lot of really good strategy with it. If you look at what (Suarez) and (McDowell) did early, I mean, they kind of saved their races.”

Although the compound is new, Cindric is indicating that teams can take actionable advice from the red-lettered tire’s behavior, which includes its early strength and late-run fall-off. After all, it is a performance-driven, data-rich approach as opposed to a guess. While that’s one thing coming from the Team Penske garage, another headline is on the business side. 

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Penske and FOX seal a historic deal 

It turns out, Roger Penske‘s Penske Entertainment sold a third stake in the venerable Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series to FOX Corporation in a calculated move that was revealed on July 31, 2025. The agreement solidifies FOX Sports’ position as the sport’s top home this season by extending the network’s media rights to broadcast IndyCar for the coming years. 

“This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future. Fox sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory. Lachlan Murdoch and his team, starting with Eric Shanks, are committed to our success and will bring incredible energy and innovation to IndyCar.” Roger Penske said, pointing to Fox’s zeal and calculated approach as the catalyst for the transaction.

An Indiana native and devoted IndyCar supporter, Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks, reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to racing innovation. In order to improve driver profiles and audience engagement, Shanks outlined intentions to elevate the sport through immersive content, promotional campaigns, and improvements to digital strategy. 

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Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports, said, “We’re thrilled to join the IndyCar ownership group at such a pivotal time for the sport. IndyCar represents everything we value in live sports – passionate fans, iconic venues, elite competition, and year-round storytelling potential. This investment underscores our commitment to motorsports and our belief in IndyCar’s continued growth on and off the track. We’re excited to help elevate the sport to new heights across all platforms.”

This year’s Indianapolis 500 drew an average of 7.01 million viewers, a 41% increase over the previous year and the largest TV audience in 17 years. The time coincides with a spike in viewership. Overall, the average viewership of the series has increased by a strong 31% year over year.