Softer tire compounds cause a higher level of marbles, doesn't it? The grip on today's Firestone tires is much more than what they were some years ago. This grip is allowing the drivers to "cheat" a bit and make bolder moves. The hard compounds of years ago didn't make as much marbles, and you therefore had a wider expanse of track to use. Of course the speeds weren't as high. I gotta think that when the cars were running 215 back in the day, taking corners wasn't nearly the white knuckle risk it is now, and it probably made for more passing, like the move Emerson Fittipaldi made on Al Unser back in some years back to win the race. You could make a move like that safely and stay within the limits of the car. But now since the horsepower has gone up, and the tires have more grip, it is actually even more risky to make those moves.

Look at what is going on in NASCAR right now, and the harder compound Goodyear tires they are running. the drivers have been spoiled by the grip they used to have, but the car of tommorrow has had an impact on the tires used, and not many like it. Tony Stewart had a temper tantrum recently about them every time someone put a microphone to him, and Goodyear had to put out a statement about it. But I have to believe the the old school drivers are laughing at Stewart and the other drivers; back in Richard Petty's day, if the tires were hard and lacked the grip of today, you learned how to drive with that and not whine about it. If you learned how to drive with those tires better than the next guy, that's what you were supposed to do. It was what made you a better race driver.

To me, Marco drove with what the car gave him, and made a bold but pure racing move. If the tires didn't shed so much, Kanaan could have made the turn and been able to stay in the hunt.