American Racer Tire Grabs Supplier Role for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
If you listen closely enough, you can hear the rumble of change making its way through the garage area. In a move that is shaking up the open-wheel pavement world this Christmas Eve, NASCAR has officially confirmed a massive shift for the upcoming 2026 season.
After decades of running on Hoosier rubber, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is switching to different tires. American Racer Tire has been named the new exclusive tire supplier for the series, marking the end of a long-standing era and the beginning of a fresh chapter for the ground-pounders.
This isn’t just a supplier swap. It’s a fundamental change to the sport’s contact patch. For the drivers, crew chiefs, and car owners who live and breathe the Whelen Tour, this news brings a mix of excitement, nostalgia, and the immediate need to rethink chassis setups honed over years.
A Major Shift for the Whelen Modified Tour
The word came down exclusively to RaceDayCT on Wednesday, confirming rumors that had been swirling around the paddock. Gary Putnam, the series director for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, sent a bulletin to competitors officially announcing the transition. While the public announcement from NASCAR was still pending as of Wednesday afternoon, the message to the teams was loud and clear: American Racer is in, and they are ready to roll.
For the past 26 years, Hoosier Tire has been the one consistent variable in a sport defined by unpredictability. Since 1999, every pole run, every photo finish, and every championship celebration on the Whelen Tour happened on Hoosiers. Before that, older fans remember the fierce “Tire War Era,” where Goodyear and Hoosier battled for dominance. Now, American Racer steps into the spotlight, tasked with keeping the most powerful cars in NASCAR glued to the asphalt.
Why the Switch to American Racer?
This decision wasn’t made in a vacuum. According to the bulletin sent to teams, the move to American Racer addresses some of the most pressing concerns facing modern race teams: cost and availability. Racing is expensive, and there’s simply no way around that. But the new deal with American Racer aims to keep a little more cash in the team owners’ pockets.
The bulletin highlighted that the 2026 tire pricing is set at an MSRP of $195. That figure represents a significant 20% price reduction compared to the 2025 pricing structure. For a team running a full schedule on the Whelen circuit, those savings add up fast, potentially covering the cost of fuel or helping to refresh a tired motor.
Furthermore, American Racer is bringing logistical muscle to the table. They boast two factories capable of production, which is a massive safety net against the supply chain issues that have plagued the motorsports industry in recent years. They have also committed to minimizing production lead times and providing dedicated factory track-side support at NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events.
Testing the Rubber: The Road to Approval
NASCAR didn’t jump into this partnership blind. The sanctioning body, along with key stakeholders in the Whelen community, put the new rubber through its paces before signing on the dotted line. Verification tests were critical to ensuring the product could handle the immense stress a Modified puts on a right-rear tire.
A test session was held on November 5 at Jennerstown Speedway in Pennsylvania, a fast, sweeping track that demands grip. A second, perhaps more grueling test took place on December 3 at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. New Smyrna is known for its abrasive surface that eats tires for lunch, making it the perfect proving ground for durability.
According to Putnam’s message to the teams, the drivers and squads involved in these verification tests successfully confirmed the product’s quality and consistency. The feedback suggests that the new rubber is ready for prime time.
Financial Relief and Future Growth
Beyond the immediate savings on the tires themselves, the partnership promises to inject more resources back into the series. The agreement includes increased contributions to both the event awards and the year-end point fund for the 2026 season.
In a sport where margins are thin, an increased point fund is a major morale booster. It signals that the series is healthy and looking to grow. As stated in the bulletin to competitors, “The ceiling is high with the possibilities of continued growth and prosperity on The Tour.”
Looking Ahead to New Smyrna
Change is rarely easy in racing. Crew chiefs will spend the winter scratching their heads, analyzing notes, and trying to predict how the new American Racer compounds will react to different track temperatures and banking. But that challenge is part of what makes the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour the best show in short-track racing.
The new era begins officially on February 7, when the haulers unload at New Smyrna Speedway to kick off the 2026 season. When the engines fire and the cars roll off the grid, they’ll be doing it on American Racer tires. It’s a brave new world for the Modifieds, and we can’t wait to see who figures it out first.
