Can anyone help with these NASCAR wheels

I am currently working on the 1/25 AMT/ERTL #24 Monte Carlo for my GF.

I have never done a NASCAR kit before and am having a good bit of trouble with the wheels.

The kit supplies to pieces for the wheels and you are supposed to put both of them together and sandwich the tire.

The problem is that I can only get one of the halves to fit inside the tire.
I can get the front of the wheel in from the back, then turn it inside the tire, and get it lined up correctly with the tire, but then I can't seem to get the back into the same wheel.
I can also get the back of the wheel in, then turn it so it lines up right with the tire, but then can't get the front on.

I can simply set it on the outside (to the back side) of the tire, and glue it on, but that looks like it would be wrong, and likely space the wheel out too far into the wheel well.

Is there something that I am missing?
I guess I have just never dealt with this 2-piece wheel approach.

Anybody have a trick for these AMT/ERTL Nascar wheels?

So you can get either half of the wheel in by itself, but not both halves at the same time? You may have to remove material from the inner sides of one of both wheels to get them in place. Try fitting them together outside the tire and see how they go.