Exploding Goodyear tires put a dent in Chase contenders’ chances

Wrecked Chase contenders, two red flags, record lead changes and a Tony Stewart victory on a controversial finish.

The Amp Energy 500 was a show for the ages. Unfortunately, it also was a Goodyear tire explosion waiting to happen.

Sound familiar?

Once again, Goodyear tires were a major issue in a 2008 Sprint Cup race, and no one knows why.

Three times tires exploded off the wheel. It could have ruined a spectacular day, and did ruin the day for about a dozen drivers.

"I was worried all the way back when the 88 [Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.] blew a tire in practice," Jimmie Johnson said. "When you run over something, you cut a tire. These Goodyear tires exploded. In my opinion, something was wrong. It was in the back of my mind all day."

[Editor's Note: How much longer is NASCAR going to put up with Goodyear's exploding tires before they pick a better tire manufacturer? We hear Bridgestone/Firestone would love to take over and fix the problem.]