NASCAR’s decision to mandate wet-weather tires ahead of the New Hampshire race was understandable given the conditions. But as the track began changing, questions quickly emerged over how much control the sanctioning body should retain. With crew chiefs and engineers equipped to make those calls themselves, insiders Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck believe NASCAR crossed the line from managing the race to “handcuffing” the teams.
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“That is the stupidest thing of all time,”Jeff Gluck did not hold back his words while discussing NASCAR’s handling of the changing conditions on The Teardown podcast.
Jordan Bianchi shared the frustration. He too argued that the sanctioning body needs to give teams more freedom when weather conditions begin to evolve. “NASCAR has to stop holding the crew chiefs’ hands. Stop handcuffing them,” Bianchi said.
The criticism came after NASCAR mandated wet-weather tires for the field before the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With the track still damp, the decision made sense. The problem came as the weather improved and the racing surface began to dry.
By Lap 40, NASCAR threw a competition caution to allow teams to switch from wet-weather tires to slicks. Every lead-lap car came to pit road for what was effectively a non-competitive pit stop.
A non-competitive pit stop is essentially a frozen-order stop during a caution period. Cars can come down pit road to make necessary changes, such as switching from wet-weather tires to slicks. However, they cannot gain or lose positions through the stop.
The idea is largely about safety and fairness. On a relatively damp pit road, NASCAR does not want drivers racing each other through the pits and potentially creating unnecessary incidents. It also prevents a team from gaining or losing a massive amount of track position because of an unpredictable weather-related caution.
However, Bianchi and Gluck believe the approach removes an important element from racing at NASCAR’s highest level: strategy. Bianchi argued that teams should be allowed to decide when the opportunity is right to pit. If one crew chief believes slick tires are worth the risk while another wants to stay on wets for longer (in hopes of rain again), that should be their call.
Gluck took the argument further. He pointed out that the wet-weather tires have provided an opportunity to see drivers such as Shane van Gisbergen and Christopher Bell showcase exceptional car control.
Instead of NASCAR acting as the “parent,” the insiders believe the teams should be trusted to make those calls. After all, crew chiefs have engineering departments and detailed data at their disposal. And NASCAR can look back and take inspiration from their own bold process.
Loudon’s 2024 wet-tire experiment
Back in 2024, NASCAR did something unexpected at New Hampshire. After a long rain delay, NASCAR allowed the cars on the track with wet-weather tires, and completed the race on same compound.
The series had previously used the grooved tires in damp conditions, but finishing a points-paying Cup race on them at Loudon was a first. The final 86 laps were run after the red flag, including overtime.
The result also demonstrated how dramatically the wet conditions could reshape a race. Drivers who had struggled earlier suddenly became contenders, while others who had been running near the front lost ground. Chase Briscoe went from 23rd at the red flag to second, while Josh Berry climbed from 20th to third.
Ryan Blaney experienced the opposite swing. He was running second when the red flag came out, but eventually finished 25th after a late incident with Michael McDowell. Denny Hamlin suffered an even bigger reversal, dropping from third at the stoppage to 24th.
That is why the discussion surrounding NASCAR’s 2026 approach is so relevant. If teams can make these races more exciting, hand over the control to them. Restricting or planning a race to play out in a certain manner is what creates manufactured drama.