The 2025 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, held on April 13, was anticipated to deliver a thrilling race atmosphere due to tire fall off, reminiscent of the 2024 spring event. However, the race unfolded much differently, with Kyle Larson dominating by leading 411 of 500 laps and securing his second win of the season. The event featured minimal cautions and lacked on-track battles, which has led to criticism from fans and industry alike regarding the lacklustre event.
This outcome was surprising, especially considering the 2024 spring race, where significant tire degradation led to multiple lead changes and strategic pit calls. In contrast, the 2025 race saw tires maintaining performance longer, with only 4/10’s of falloff, which reduced the need for pit strategy and removed the ability for cars to pass each other.
The discrepancy in performance has been attributed to track temperature and surface conditions. In 2024, the spring race was accompanied with cooler temperatures which contributed to increased tire wear; the 2025 spring race experienced much warmer temps.
To address these issues, NASCAR and Goodyear need to return to the drawing board to create a tire that produces fall off across varying temperatures. Additionally, reevaluating the track’s surface and banking could help restore the competitive racing that Bristol was known for, before SMI chose to increase banking.
It’s obvious that the current car design also holds some of the blame, as drivers criticize it for its lack of horsepower and reduction of driver control. However, it’s clear that additional changes to the car would be too expensive and time consuming to undertake at this point. So, without adjustments to the only things remaining—tire compounds and track conditions—Bristol risks losing its short track reputation… along with it’s audience.