Tire change a curveball for drivers at Bristol

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - A rare tire change in the middle of the race weekend has teams at Bristol Motor Speedway scrambling to prepare for Sunday's race.

Goodyear had nearly 1,3000 tires shipped in overnight from North Carolina to combat a problem with the wear. But teams had only one set of new right-side tires to practice with Saturday, and many found the new tires radically changed their cars.

Pole-sitter Carl Edwards says his car was slower and harder to drive.

Greg Biffle's crew chief said the driver's car was nothing like it was a day earlier, when Biffle qualified second.

But Jeff Gordon praised Goodyear for acting quickly to solve an issue that could have ruined Sunday's race.