NASCAR teams to face a new tire package for the Kansas and Las Vegas races 

NASCAR is introducing a fresh tire package for both teams and the followers of the sport to keep an eye on for the upcoming races at Kansas and Las Vegas, and it aims to shake up strategies on the track. The main story lies in the new right-side Goodyear Racing Eagle tires, which will be in play, giving crew chiefs more tools to race with.

At Kansas Speedway, both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series will be debuting with updated right-side tires. These are paired with left-side tires that drivers are already familiar with from earlier this season. For the Cup Series, the left-side tire has been used at tracks like Charlotte, Michigan, Indianapolis and Darlington. For Xfinity, the left side tire has been seen in races at Texas, Charlotte and Nashville.

Goodyear's operations manager for global race tires, Justin Fantozzi, recently explained these changes and why they are being implemented.

"Kansas presents a unique set of conditions for teams - known for its relatively smooth surface, multiple grooves, and close finishes - but recent races have shown notable tire wear. For both series, new right-side tires are being introduced after undergoing construction changes to increase strategy options for the crew chiefs. This weekend, teams will need to balance grip with outright speed to maximize performance of these new Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setups," Fantozzi said via Jayski.

Fans should expect more pit-strategy calls, possibly more varied tire wear, and perhaps surprises from crews who adapt best to these revised right-side tires. The engineers, drivers and crew chiefs will need to get creative and fast.

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The NASCAR Cup Series has a new points leader after the race in New Hampshire this weekend

Ryan Blaney has ascended to the top of the NASCAR Cup Series points standings once again after his recent triumph at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It’s the first time Blaney has led the standings since the season kicked off at the Daytona 500, marking a satisfying return to form.

Blaney marked his fifth victory of the season by winning the USA Today 301 race, and this victory not only punched his ticket to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR playoffs, but also put him officially in front in the points. He now holds a slim two-point lead over William Byron, who sits just behind as the highest-ranked driver not yet locked into the Round of 8.

Ryan Blaney at the NASCAR Cup Series Race at New Hampshire - Source: Imagn

Interestingly, on the season-long points track, Byron is still in front. But Blaney has been surging recently. In his last 10 starts, he has finished outside the top eight only once, despite having endured seven DNFs earlier in the regular season.

The drivers will now be in action for the next Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, scheduled for next weekend on the NASCAR calendar.