Drivers talk tires in wake of Talladega turmoil

By Tania Ganguli | The Orlando Sentinel • Published October 06, 2008

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TALLADEGA, Ala. — When a tire does its job, nobody talks about it.

For the third time this season, people are talking about tires.

Though a thrilling finish in the AMP Energy 500 and drought-snapping win by Tony Stewart may have overshadowed the issues immediately following the race, tire explosions had dire consequences for several drivers. Two caused wrecks, including a nine-car pileup midway through the race and one sent a driver to an over-night hospital stay.

But teams left Talladega on Sunday with little information as to what happened or how to fix it.

"I was worried all the way back on Friday when the 88 blew a tire," points leader Jimmie Johnson said about the car driven by teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. "From my point of view, you run something over, you cut a tire, you shred it, it falls down. When they explode like that, in my opinion, something went wrong with the tire that caused it to explode. I know everybody felt comfortable that the 88 ran over something on Friday, but I just didn’t think so."

Earnhardt was an early victim of tire explosions. His Chevrolet collided with David Gilliland after his right rear tire exploded during practice. Both drivers had to go to backup cars and Earnhardt had to change his motor.

David Reutimann’s tire exploded early and turned him sideways in front of Jeff Gordon. The accident resembled Earnhardt’s from two days before.

Later Brian Vickers’ right-front tire exploded and set in motion a nine-car wreck that took out, among others, Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

Denny Hamlin’s accident had the biggest personal consequences. He blew a tire midway through the race, which sent his car shooting up the race track and into the SAFER barrier. Hamlin was in the lead, and no other car was harmed in his wreck. But the driver of the No. 11 had to be helped out of his car and spent Sunday night in a Birmingham Hospital after complaining of headaches. Hamlin was released from the hospital Monday.

"I don’t know if anybody really has an explanation," said Greg Zipadelli, Stewart’s crew chief. "It wasn’t wear. It certainly didn’t seem like a heat issue. But a lot of them lost air."