When NASCAR rolled out the option tire at Phoenix earlier this season, it turned some serious heads. Drivers were suddenly juggling grip levels, lap-time drop-offs, and strategy plays like it was a mid-race chess match. The buzz was real. Finally, something new to spice things up! So naturally, when NASCAR brought a fresh tire compound to Dover, expectations were high.
Would we see more tire falloff? Could it shake up the typical frontrunner parade? Fans and analysts leaned in, eager to decode how drivers would respond to the change. But while the garage was filled with whispers after the race, Kyle Larson cut through the noise with a brutally honest and surprisingly chill take that left little room for debate.
New tire, but no difference
NASCAR shook things up for the 2025 Dover race by introducing a new Goodyear tire. The details – code D-5240 for the left side, D-5260 for the right. Now, the interesting part is that teams had never used them before and won’t see them again this season. The move was prompted by Delaware’s midsummer heat and the Monster Mile’s slick concrete.
You see, Goodyear was aiming to engineer a tire compound that could handle higher track temperatures, more rubber buildup, and the unique demands of Dover. According to Goodyear NASCAR Product Manager Rick Heinrich, “Laying rubber down on the concrete surface is a key factor in the design of our tread compounds for Dover. Dover presents a unique opportunity to engineer a tire to help in laying down rubber on a particularly smooth surface. We’ve designed the product to do just that.”
With teams working through a strict 11-set tire allotment and watching the track transform under changing weather conditions and cautions, expectations ran high for a different kind of challenge. Yet following his fourth-place finish, Kyle Larson was completely unmoved by the innovation. “I didn’t notice a single difference today. I thought the style of how you kind of manage to run and lap times and all that were very similar. So, I didn’t feel any different,” Kyle Larson said post-race. He spent the race in regular contention, running top five for most of the afternoon. Larson also finished 10th in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2.
“I didn’t notice a single difference today.” @KyleLarsonRacin on the new tire compound used today at Dover Motor Speedway. pic.twitter.com/PkeKsYVf09
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) July 21, 2025
Across the Cup field, most competitors echoed Larson’s verdict. Despite the new tires made specifically for the track, drivers reported managing their stints as usual. The race finished with just 13 lead changes. On the contrary, the average number of lead changes in a NASCAR race is typically around 20 to 40. Thus, the tire didn’t play a major factor in the race as the drivers adapted and managed their runs much like any other Dover or NASCAR event.
The most telling outcome of Goodyear’s new compound was Denny Hamlin being able to hold off Chase Briscoe with significantly older tires on the last two restarts. Even when Briscoe went half a car length clear, Hamlin clawed it back to take the lead and hold it till the end. The aerodynamics of the Next-Gen car allowed for aero blocking that allowed the leaders to keep their spot, with tires playing no role in the show on Sunday.
Ultimately, what was pitched as a technical wrinkle became a footnote for the field’s frontrunners. Larson’s blunt assessment summed up not only his afternoon but also how even NASCAR’s boldest tire gambles can be shrugged off by the sport’s most adaptable drivers.
Why Dover holds a special place for Kyle Larson
Dover Motor Speedway, the “Monster Mile,” has become one of the most defining and rewarding venues in Kyle Larson’s NASCAR Cup Series career. Statistically, no other track has showcased Larson’s unique blend of speed, aggression, and adaptability quite like Dover. With 12 top-10s, 8 top-five finishes, one win, and a pole, Larson has mastered the challenges posed by Dover’s high-banked concrete oval.
His career average finish of 8.2 at Dover is not only the best among active drivers but is a testament to his consistency and ability to run at the front against stiff competition. Only a handful of drivers match that sort of track dominance in the Cup Series. Perhaps even more telling is Kyle Larson’s lap-leading prowess.
Larson has led 938 laps at the Monster Mile, second-most among active Cup drivers, trailing only Kyle Busch. You might also remember his historic win in the 2019 Drydene 400. It was not just another victory for the then-Chip Ganassi Racing driver. It snapped a 75-race winless streak and earned Larson an automatic playoff berth, making it a memorable career milestone.
Dover is also the site of pivotal moments in his HMS career. He’s been a part of some of Hendrick Motorsports’ proudest achievements at the track, such as their 1-2-3-4 finish in the 2021 race. This is an event that solidified the team’s dominance and Larson’s role as a foundational superstar. Even races that have slipped away because of pit strategy or late cautions regularly see Larson near the front when it matters most. His recent 4th-place finish only adds to his brilliant performances at the venue.
Dover’s physically and mentally demanding style aligns perfectly with Larson’s racing roots. As long as Larson continues to compete, Dover will remain a place where history, personal redemption, and racing excellence intersect in his career.
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