NASCAR recently conducted a tire test at Iowa Speedway with Cup Series veterans, and in a nutshell, things got chaotic. According to Chase Briscoe, it was hard to drive on the 0.875-mile oval short track.
At the tire test, Briscoe was filling in for Denny Hamlin, who is currently on baby watch. Originally, Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Austin Cindric were scheduled to participate in the test ahead of the Iowa Corn 300 race, set for August.
However, like Briscoe, Busch and Cindric did not have much praise for the tire test.
Chase Briscoe Opens Up On The Tire Test at Iowa Speedway
The three drivers took part in a two-day tire test at the Iowa track. Parts of the track were repaved last season, and NASCAR and Goodyear still haven’t been able to determine which tire compound works best, prompting these tests.
Briscoe recently discussed the test with NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass. Briscoe said, “Tires fell off over a second in 20 laps…It was out of control, hard to drive. So hopefully we do something like that.” NASCAR would likely want more tire wear than that, as that has been their goal with the short track package.
Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch and Austin Cindric did a tire test at Iowa, which still has areas of new pavement (from repaving prior to the 2024 race) and old pavement. What Briscoe had to say: pic.twitter.com/cEiUl8OrMa
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 8, 2025
Another key issue NASCAR will have to address ahead of the race is how the car handles on the track.
As reported by Yahoo Sports, Briscoe said in a previous interview, “It’s really tough when you come to, especially a fresh repave, because getting the rubber laid down is part of the process, and today it was one of those things where it was kind of challenging. You get here and it’s super slick, it’s almost like we’re driving on ice.”
It wasn’t just Briscoe. Busch also found it uncomfortable to run laps at Iowa during the test. “I feel like the things that we kinda learned so far are what tires not to bring back and race here, as we found one that just really, really wasn’t conducive or comfortable to drive as a driver,” Busch, whose nickname is “Rowdy,” said.
Cindric, however, said the tire compound still grips the same way it did last season — nothing different. “It’s kind of wild how much the color has changed since we were here last time,” Cindric said. “It was like jet black, and now it’s like you almost don’t even know it was repaved. But I would say that the grip levels are still fairly similar.”
Overall, it’s a mixed review from the veterans. Hopefully, NASCAR and Goodyear will figure out the best compound for Iowa, and the race turns out to be a thriller in August.