NASCAR Tire News

Updated: 2010

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Goodyear testing different tire compounds: This time two years ago, Stu Grant and Goodyear wore bigger targets in the garage than Brad Keselowski does on the track. Tony Stewart was so angry leaving Atlanta that he said the best thing the tire manufacturer did was "make that gold trophy at the end of year" for the series champion. He added that that the tires were "not worthy of a street car." Now not only is Goodyear being defended after events in which there are blown tires; many are crediting the company with improving the overall quality of racing. Cars aren't sliding out of control as they were through the middle of last season. Drivers finally are comfortable that the only thing separating 3,500 pounds of steel and sheet metal and them from the track will stick when they enter and exit the corners. No magic compound has been discovered, but there has been a change of philosophy. Goodyear engineers finally realized that harder doesn't mean safer, or even better, as they thought two years ago. It took a while. It wasn't until countless tests following the 2008 debacle at Indianapolis, in which NASCAR had to call a competition caution every 12 laps or so, that a solution was found. There were seven tire tests, to be exact, in preparation for last year's race at Indy. At some point Goodyear learned innovative things about wear degree and how it relates to rubbering in the track that benefited every facility. So the company adjusted to a softer compound, one that would be durable enough that it wouldn't wear excessively and efficient enough to lay down rubber at a rate that would provide more grip. More grip meant better handling and better racing. To be fair, Goodyear was put behind the eight ball, just as the teams were, when the new car came out. Officials were searching just as hard as crew chiefs to figure out what would and wouldn't work. Jeff Burton tried to tell us this was coming a year ago. He said the racing was going to be better, and the tire would be a big reason. Will that change when NASCAR replaces the wing with the spoiler in two weeks at Martinsville? Grant doesn't think so, although there's no way to tell for sure until the cars are on the track. NASCAR, to its credit, is doing whatever possible to make sure the balance of the car doesn't change much so the pressure and wear on the tire remains consistent. Goodyear will keep a close eye on that during Tuesday's spoiler test at Talladega.(ESPN.com)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Drivers pleased with Goodyear after Darlington test: Elliott Sadler had no complaints for Goodyear, only for those drivers griping about the manufacturer. When asked what it meant that at least a dozen competitors faced tire trouble at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sadler was quick with a response: "Yeah, but there were 37 others that didn't," he said Tuesday at Darlington Raceway. Sadler and fellow Sprint Cup racers Marcos Ambrose and Clint Bowyer came to the track "Too Tough To Tame" to shake out the dormant raceway and give Goodyear some insight about which tire to bring to the Southern 500 in May. (USA Today)

Monday, March 8, 2010

More question arise about Goodyear's tires: Goodyear is facing more questions about the quality of its tires. At least a dozen drivers were affected by tire problems during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, stirring up complaints that Goodyear supplied a compound that was good for speed but low on durability at the high-banked track. "When they come here and test, you expect them to build a tire that we can abuse and that we can race hard with," said Jeff Gordon, one of those affected. "That obviously wasn't the case. There is a good chance we were too aggressive, but until we go back and analyze everything it's hard to say." Ryan Newman also chimed in. "Goodyear's got some work to do," he said. "It's a safety situation. We popped one. There are a lot of guys who popped one." Race winner Kurt Busch didn't have any problems. He was conscious of protecting his tires after Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified for the pole with the fastest speed of the Car of Tomorrow era. "When you have that happen, that means the tires are really grabbing hold of the racetrack," Busch said. "That means you're going to have speed. And when you have speed on a track that's very abrasive, yeah, you're going to be worried about tires, whether it's blistering of the right front, blistering the right rear. You have to find that right combination." Goodyear racing chief Stu Grant defended the quality of the tire. "It's a tire the guys are happy to run on," he said. "They're comfortable and they're fast if the setup is good. The leaders are running great. If you look at (Kasey Kahne) and (Busch), their tires have looked great all day." Kahne finished fourth.(Associated Press/ESPN)

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Tire trouble at Atlanta? The big question mark for most drivers heading into this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500 remains the tires. After repeated complaints about tire wear in Atlanta, Goodyear has brought another combination for Sunday's race. "Goodyear's hardest job is to figure out what makes the best race," Burton said. "When you have 40 drivers, you have 40 opinions. For me, I like a tire that makes good grip and keeps a fair amount of grip during the run." Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr. and Sam Hornish spent two January days testing for Goodyear at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and all of them agreed that the new tire should offer better grip  and in turn, much better racing  than in recent memory. "Goodyear brought a tire that will be an improvement over what we had last fall," Martin said Friday. "The cool weather is going to be favorable for the cars' handling, and this multi-groove race track makes for a lot of fun."(AMS PR)

Friday, March 5, 2010

Kevin Harvick: tire tests held at wrong time of year: Kevin Harvick questions the logic of holding a tire test at Atlanta in the offseason. “In my opinion, they have the tire tests at the wrong time of the year,” Harvick said. “At those types of race tracks, you need to have the tire tests when the weather is going to be closer to what it will actually be for the race. And you need to have it when there is a bunch of rubber on the race track because they get some false indications of where the tires need to be because the track is green. The tires react very differently under those circumstances.”(USA Today)

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Goodyear to change tires before Sunday's race: Goodyear officials took 23 unused tires from the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series garages that showed signs of thin tread at Auto Club Speedway. After Sprint Cup practice Friday, Goodyear officials saw three tires with a small patch of localized, rapid tread wear. They then asked Goodyear technicians in Akron, Ohio, to re-examine the X-rays of the 2,000 right-side tires that were brought to the track with a more thorough look at the area where those other tires had shown the thin tread, Goodyear global racing tire manager Stu Grant said Saturday. The X-rays are originally done so technicians can look for foreign particles or other abnormalities in the tires after they come off the production line. Following the examinations Friday, the engineers saw possible signs of a similar problem in 19 tires sold to teams in the Cup garage and four sold to teams in the Nationwide garage this weekend. Goodyear asked that those tires be return and replaced them. "I don't have any explanation other than we have a localized area of light tread in some of the right-side tires," Grant said. "There's something going on with the manufacturing. It's got that light [tread] area that is a little off-center of the center of the tire. So just to be sure [we took them back].  … There's nothing wrong with it except it's a little thinner than it should be." The right-side tires are new for Auto Club Speedway, host of Sunday's Auto Club 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, but have been used at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. There were no issues during Sprint Cup practice Saturday.(SceneDaily)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Goodyear, drivers confident after tire test at AMS: The second day of Goodyear tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway concluded with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers feeling confident the two-day test will result in an improved tire for the upcoming Kobalt Tools 500 on March 7. Four NASCAR drivers  Carl Edwards (Ford), Sam Hornish, Jr. (Dodge), Mark Martin (Chevy) and Martin Truex, Jr.(Toyota)  assisted the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. with tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and their shared sentiment provided high praise for Goodyear's efforts to provide a quality tire compound for the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500. "We have a little more grip than we had in the old tire and they hold up just fine," explained Truex, Jr., who posted a top lap time of 30.127 seconds (184.021 mph). "[There are] no issues at all with wear, which is kind of odd considering for how cold it is and the track being totally green with no rubber worked in  normally you see more wear  so I don't see any issues coming out of the tires at all. They have a little bit more grip, which everyone will be happy about. It will definitely be a better tire." For the second consecutive day, Martin posted the fastest lap time of 29.932 seconds (185.219 mph). "It's going well," said Martin, who won the pole for the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "They have some stuff that grips better than the tire that we ran here last fall. That tire had great durability & and they're trying to find something that has that same durability and be a little more grip friendly." In addition to Martin and Truex, Jr.'s times, Edwards posted a top lap of 30.022 seconds (184.665 mph) on the second test day, while Hornish, Jr. posted a lap of 30.227 (183.412). "Goodyear's brought a few different types of tires and I ran on a bunch of the tires today," said Edwards. "This afternoon we're going to do long runs on them. They seem pretty good. The tire we raced here last time, I've driven a couple on short runs. A couple tires they brought I think are better than that tire. "[They're] more drivable and maybe lend themselves to better racing." For more information on the Kobalt Tools 500 or to purchase tickets, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Drivers take part in Goodyear tire test at AMS: Atlanta Motor Speedway's 2010 NASCAR season kicked off at 9:31 am/et on Tuesday when Mark Martin took to the high-banked track to begin two days of tire testing by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. to determine the premier tire for the Kobalt Tools 500 on March 7. Four NASCAR veterans  Martin, Carl Edwards, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Martin Truex, Jr.  are assisting Goodyear with testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway where Martin posted the fastest lap with a time 29.938 (185.183). Martin's time of 29.938 seconds was faster than Truex, Jr.'s qualifying lap of 30.106 (184.149 mph) for September's Pep Boys Auto 500. He nearly matched his pole-winning performance for last March's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway when he posted a 29.640 (187.045). In addition to Martin's time, Edwards posted a lap of 29.953 seconds (185.102 mph), followed by Truex, Jr. with a 30.009 (184.744) and Hornish, Jr. with a 30.560 (181.413). While most teams are focused on assisting Goodyear, the Atlanta Goodyear Test holds added importance for Truex, Jr., who is participating in his first Goodyear test with his new Michael Waltrip Racing team and with crew chief Pat Tryson. All four drivers will return Wednesday for day two of the test.(AMS PR)

Drivers at Goodyear tire test comment on possible rule changes: With Goodyear tire testing ongoing at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the March 7 Kobalt Tools 500, two NASCAR notables commented on possible changes to the rear wing on NASCAR's COT. Carl Edwards and Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Mark Martin, offered a point-counterpoint debate on the topic in separate interviews during their designated lunch break. Edwards: "I think whatever [NASCAR] can do to take downforce away is great for the sport, great for the racing and good for the fans. Atlanta is one of the last tracks where you can really manhandle a car, drive and slide the car sideways. Taking downforce away will make more tracks like that, which is good." Gustafson: "Aesthetically, I like the spoiler. I grew up watching cars with a spoiler on there. I think it aesthetically makes sense. But I think we just have to be careful; we have refined these cars now to where they drive good with a good aero balance. We can't throw that away for the aesthetics of the spoiler, so we have to make sure performance wise that the aerodynamic balance of the car is similar or better than what we have now."(AMS PR)

Wednesday, January 6, 2009

Goodyear tire test at at Atlanta: The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series action at Atlanta Motor Speedway will kick off early and in full speed with four top teams preparing for the Kobalt Tools 500 during offseason tire testing for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Carl Edwards, Sam Hornish, Jr., Mark Martin and Martin Truex, Jr. will participate in two days of testing for Goodyear on January 12 and 13. The two-day test is closed to the public and will aid Goodyear in determining the paramount tire for Atlanta Motor Speedway's March 7 Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Of the four drivers currently slated for the test, Edwards is the most accomplished at Atlanta Motor Speedway with three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins and a weekend sweep in 2005, including a Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series win. Martin has two wins and two poles in Atlanta, while Truex, Jr. won the most-recent pole for September's 2009 Pep Boys Auto 500. For more information on the Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend or to purchase tickets, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Goodyear to test larger tire: Goodyear will again test the taller, wider tire again with Roush Racing at Phoenix Intenrational Raceway on Dec. 8 and 9.(FOXSports.com)

Thursday, November 5, 20009

Results from Goodyear tire test at Daytona: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company brought 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers to the Daytona International Speedway for a test this past Monday and Tuesday for Daytona 500. The goal was to build upon the information gathered during a test at Daytona on September 22-23 and finalize the tire recommendation for next year's Daytona 500.
Participating in this week's test were A.J. Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Erik Darnell, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sam Hornish, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Sterling Marlin, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Ragan, David Reutimann, Regan Smith and Scott Speed. The September test featured four teams and provided a baseline from which to start. Goodyear returned this week with a greater number of cars to better simulate race conditions. Cars tend to move around more when running in a big pack at Daytona, which then has an effect on the tires with the highly worn track surface. The highlight of this week's test was three different drafting sessions involving all the cars. The group ran a 25-lap run on Monday afternoon, a 15-lap run early Tuesday morning and a 30-lap run shortly after that. In the Monday session, all the cars were on the same tire set-up. On Tuesday, four different combinations were used throughout the field. One other wrinkle was that the teams integrated a new rear shock package mandated by NASCAR. Overall, Goodyear was pleased with the results. "We're very happy with the results of this week's test," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "Overall grip and wear was good, and we also improved the appearance of the tire over the course of a run compared with the past. Like always, our engineers will review all the data and finalize the race recommendation for next year's 500 so we can start production. This was a big undertaking, not only for us but for NASCAR and all the teams that made time in their schedules to come down to Daytona and participate. With the large draft runs, we were able to more accurately simulate race conditions."(Goodyear PR)

Monday, November 2, 2009

Goodyear tire test at Daytona: More than a dozen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are expected Monday morning for a two-day, Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway. Goodyear engineers are working on a tire that will be used during Speed Weeks 2010. The tests will run from 9:00 am to 5:00pm/et on Monday and Tuesday [11/2-3]. Spectators are welcome to watch at no charge from the Oldfield Grandstands.(Daytona Beach News Journal)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Goodyear: All teams can test at Daytona: Goodyear and potentially as many as 30 NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will head to Daytona International Speedway on Nov. 2-3, the Monday and Tuesday after Talladega, to try to figure out a tire for the 2010 Daytona 500. The test is open to all teams, and about 25-30 are expected, Stu Grant, Goodyear’s manager of worldwide racing, said Friday at Auto Club Speedway in California. Goodyear expects that some multicar organizations will only send some of their drivers and teams. Typical Goodyear tests have only four teams, but it’s hard to simulate conditions and tire wear in the draft with so few cars. It will be the only chance Sprint Cup teams will have to run at Daytona prior to February as NASCAR has extended its moratorium on testing at tracks in its three national series through 2010.(SceneDaily.com)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Tire test to be conducted at Richmond on Oct. 6 -7: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will hold a two-day tire test at Richmond International Raceway next Tuesday and Wednesday (October 6-7). The purpose of the test is two-fold  (1) do some fundamental work on its short track/flat track tire set-up for the 2010 NASCAR season, and (2) take the first on-track look at a larger NASCAR tire. "First and foremost, this is a 'normal' tire test for us," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "We're going to Richmond to work on our short track set-up, looking for some things we might want to evaluate further before next season." While Goodyear has made great gains on its current tire lineup with an aggressive testing schedule, the larger tire is a future project that the company has chosen to keep on its radar screen. "The second part of the Richmond test is very preliminary and is our first opportunity to get the larger size tire on the track," said Stucker. "We've been very happy with the lab work on the larger tire and the modeling results that we've seen, so the next logical step is to get this tire on the ground." Roush-Fenway Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and Travis Kvapil will handle the driving duties for the test, with the team bringing a specific car to accommodate the larger tire which is one-and-a-half inches taller and one-and-a-half inches wider than the current NASCAR tire, and will be run on 17-inch wheels as compared to the current 15-inch configuration. "Both Goodyear and NASCAR work on research and development programs all the time and that's what we have here," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president for competition. "In fact, one of the goals of this test is to further enhance the reliability and performance of the current 15-inch tire that we use today. There is absolutely no timetable whatsoever in regards to the possibility of having a new tire."(Goodyear)

Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009

NASCAR to study use of rain tires: NASCAR president Mike Helton said more research will have to be done before fans see Sprint Cup Series cars racing in wet conditions. Jeff Gordon said he isn't thrilled about the idea but enjoyed watching the 2008 Nationwide race in Montreal run in wet conditions. Ryan Newman was more open to the idea but pointed out that Sprint Cup cars are heavier than Nationwide vehicles. "I think that in bad weather, NASA sends up smaller space craft instead of the big space craft and it is pretty similar," Newman said. "You don't want to risk a lot. I don't think it would be an ideal situation for all of the fans. It hasn't, per se, been done yet. It has been tested and practiced a little bit. I am all for it. I have never raced in the rain. It would be a disadvantage to me. I think it is still racing."(Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Indy tires must pass three inspections: One of the more fascinating aspects of seeing the process of how a racing tire is made is the checks done to the tire before it leaves the plant. There's a visual inspection by a worker, then the tire is X-rayed and then it's put into a machine that is akin to an MRI machine where it can take an even closer look at the tire. Pass all three and the tire is loaded on to a truck to be sent to the Goodyear warehouse just north of Charlotte. (Virginian-Pilot)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Goodyear tire testing underway at Atlanta: Tire testing is currently underway at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as four NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers assist the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in preparing the preeminent tire for Atlanta’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup night race, the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6. Goodyear is tasked with preparing the first tire for Sprint Cup night racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the company is utilizing NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Tony Stewart in the two-day Goodyear Tire Test. “It’s definitely tough to prepare a tire for a night race [in Atlanta], because there are unknowns going into a night race – how fast is the track going to be and where do we need to have many of our settings,” said Busch, who won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. “I felt like the tire was just fine in March, obviously. With the way our car handled and we drove it into Victory Lane, I wouldn’t change a thing. But, we’ve got a night race now, so we’re here working with Goodyear to find something better and make the racing more exciting.” All four participating drivers have higher-average finishes in night races than afternoon races in 2009. In five-2009 night races, Stewart has the highest average night race finish of the four at 2.4, compared to his season average of 7.6. Of the remaining drivers, Hamlin has an average night race finish of 8.2 (13.4 for the entire season), Busch has an average of 10.6 (12.5) and McMurray’s average night race finish is 14.6 (20.2). Tire testing will resume at 2:00pm/et on Tuesday and continue until 10:00pm/et. The test is closed to the public.(AMS PR)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Goodyear tire test planned Tuesday and Wednesday: In preparation for Atlanta Motor Speedway's first NASCAR Sprint Cup night race, the Pep Boys Auto 500, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is conducting a two-day tire test [July 14-15, Tue-Wed] to ensure the preeminent tire is ready for night racing in Atlanta. Drivers scheduled to take part in the test: Tony Stewart (Chevy), Kurt Busch (Dodge), Denny Hamlin (Toyota) and Jamie McMurray (Ford). This session is closed to the public.(AMS PR)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Jeff Gordon confident after Indy tire test: NASCAR star Jeff Gordon, a four-time winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, today guaranteed that tires won’t be an issue in next month’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. “I’m 100 percent confident it’s not going to come down to a 10-lap shootout on whose tires can last the longest,” Gordon said after morning rain cut short the final Goodyear test in preparation for the July 26 race. “I can promise all the fans out there. I hope that’s enough for them.” (More at Indy Star)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Goodyear tire test at Indy: Goodyear appears to have resolved some of the problems that plagued last year's Allstate 400 in Indianapolis. Nine cars made it onto the track for testing Monday. Kyle Busch's No. 18 car did the most consecutive laps with 17 early in the afternoon. During last year's Allstate 400, tire problems forced race officials to call competition cautions every 10 to 12 laps. It's the third time Goodyear has returned to Indy for testing this year. Two cars reportedly ran 30 consecutive laps before running out of fuel at a previous session. Goodyear has one more test session Tuesday.(Associated Press)

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Goodyear tire testing at Indy: The process for Goodyear to determine the tire combination for the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race continued this week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With weather and track conditions very near what is expected for the July 26-28 event, more than 1,200 laps of testing was completed with all results indicating they are on target to finalize that recommendation. Goodyear brought nine teams to the Speedway for on-track sessions on Monday and Tuesday, while rain rolled through the area on Wednesday, cancelling the third day of the scheduled test. Drivers and teams that participated were: Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Patrick Carpentier, Bill Elliott, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya Tony Stewart and David Stremme. Throughout the test,several cars were able to make runs of more than 30 laps, with some even running out of fuel on the track. A fuel stop at the two-and-a-half-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway is estimated at 32 laps. (Goodyear PR)

Monday, May 25, 2009

Indy tire test scheduled: Goodyear has two tire tests scheduled next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the tire manufacturer tries to find a way to avoid last year's debacle. Nine cars are scheduled to test June 1-3. Those scheduled to test are Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Robby Gordon, Scott Riggs, David Stremme, Greg Biffle, Bill Elliott, and either Casey Mears or Jeff Burton. The second test is expected to have at least a dozen teams June 15-17. (Roanoke.com)

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Bowyer: More cars needed at Daytona tire test: In a normal Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway, there may be three or four participating stock-car teams collecting data for the NASCAR supplier. As a prep for the July 4 Coke Zero 400, Goodyear has 10 Sprint Cup Series stock cars and a dozen drivers turning laps over the 2.5-mile tri-oval. The two-day test concludes today. "Just having three or four cars out there drafting, you don't get the (desired) effect, you don't get the sensation of the speed, what the cars go through in the draft, so we needed a few more cars here, then just two or three cars," driver Clint Bowyer said. "The tires don't get the abuse they get when you're under the loads of drafting with 40 cars out there. They got the right amount of cars out here." (Daytona Beach News-Journal)

Goodyear test at Daytona; Stewart and others praise tires: A few minutes after finishing a 10-car Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway, both Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurray jumped to the embattled tire-maker's defense. That's been a theme all season. "That's a tough job, you know," Bowyer said. "They never get to say when they did something right; you always hear about Goodyear doing something wrong. And they work hard at it. They try to do the best they can. They bring us drivers here to do tire tests to make sure that we have the tire we want to go racing. What more can you ask for?" Overall though, tire performance has improved this season and NASCAR's teams are noticing. "I've been impressed with how hard Goodyear is working," Tony Stewart said in Richmond. "They continue to not sit on their hands. I mean, they keep trying different things and keep trying to find combinations that make it better for us." (Associated Press)

Friday, May 1, 2009

Newman: Small gain made in Goodyear Tires test: Ryan Newman said he got a maximum of 18 laps on a set of tires during Wednesday's test that also included Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers. Goodyear is hoping to get that number to the 32 needed for a full fuel run. "Last week it was 10 laps," Newman said. "So it was a gain in number of laps." (ESPN.com)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Goodyear returns to Indy for tire testing today: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Wednesday to continue its testing program for this year's Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the track this July 24-26. This week's one-day session is a continuation from a rain-shortened test at the Speedway last week. Goodyear held three different sessions at Indianapolis last September to begin the testing program, and made some good strides toward this year's tire recommendation at that time. After the long winter, the tire manufacturer picked up where it left off at the historic, 2.5-mile track. Rain slowed the on-track activity last Monday and Tuesday, forcing Goodyear and the four Sprint Cup teams it was working with to stay through Wednesday. Participating last week were No. 17 Matt Kenseth, No. 39 Ryan Newman (Chevrolet), No. 43 Reed Sorenson (Dodge) and No. 83 Brian Vickers.
"The goal was to build upon what we've learned up to this point. We started last week on the control tire from last fall, the one that enabled us to make some 25-lap runs at the time. We went on to evaluate some additional compounds and constructions and we just didn't see the same results," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's Director of Race Tire Sales. "The one thing we know that changed over the winter was the amount of rubber on the race track. Our test last week was the first on-track activity since our fall tests, and the race track is much greener than we saw at that time. We're not getting the wear levels we'd like to see at this point."
As a result, Goodyear has decided to return to Indianapolis for a continuation test this coming Wednesday. "The track worked with us, the teams have worked with us and our guys at the Goodyear Tech Center have produced some additional development tires in just a few days so we can continue our testing this week," said Stucker. "Even though the wear wasn't the same as we saw last fall, the drivers were happy with the handling characteristics of this set-up. Our challenge right now is to not overreact to last week's results because we know the track will be different after the Indianapolis 500 in May. That's why we have a multi-car confirmation test scheduled in June in preparation for our race in July."
Three of the four teams from last week will return this Wednesday for the continuation test -- those of Kenseth, Newman and Vickers. Sorenson and his team could not make it back this week and will be replaced by Kasey Kahne. "Like all tire testing at Goodyear, this is a process," said Stucker. "Our goal is to always bring the best performing, most competitive tires to the race track. Indy certainly presents a challenge and we are committed to getting it right."(Goodyear PR)

Friday, April 24, 2009

Goodyear to return to Indy next Wednesday to continue tire test: Goodyear will go back to Indy on Wednesday to continue the tire test from this past week when rain kept teams off the track most of the time. Reed Sorenson, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers and Ryan Newman tested this past week. The plan is to try to get all four back for this week's test. (Goodyear has further tests scheduled, including a test in mid-June that could have a dozen or so teams) (The Virginian-Pilot)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Rain forces Goodyear tire testing into Wednesday: Richard Petty Motorsports driver Reed Sorenson says that Goodyear officials will extend their Indianapolis Motor Speedway tire test into Wednesday for four drivers because of rain that has continually interrupted their efforts. Sorenson, Roush Fenway Racing's Matt Kenseth, Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman and Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers began testing tires at the track Monday as Goodyear officials work to find a better tire for this season's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the track after a 2008 event in which drivers had to pit regularly because of issues with tire wear. "It has been wet,” Sorenson said Tuesday during a national teleconference with reporters. “It seems like every time we get out on the track and get running a little bit it seems to rain." (SceneDaily.com)

Friday, March 20, 2009

More Goodyear tire testing planned: Goodyear is planning additional tests this year at the two tracks where its tires encountered the most criticism last year, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Tests are planned for April and June at Indy, the site of one of the most frustrating events in recent NASCAR and Goodyear history last year, when NASCAR had to throw the caution every 12 or 13 laps because the tires wouldn’t last. Four teams will go to the test April 20-21 and then 12 to 15 teams will go in mid-June, Goodyear director of race tire sales Greg Stucker said Wednesday during a test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (SceneDaily.com)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Goodyear official: Wider tire at least a couple years away: A Goodyear official said today that the new wider, taller tire that should be better suited for the Car of Tomorrow and help with the handling of those cars is now "at least'' 2 years away from being used in a race. Greg Stucker made the comment Wednesday during a tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Stucker told me in January that he was hopeful that the new tire could be used in a race in 2010, but the timeline has since changed. Stucker said that Goodyear met with NASCAR officials on Tuesday to update series officials on the progress of the new tire. "We feel like we've still got some work to do,'' Stucker said. "We're certainly seeing some performance advantages, which was one of the goals. There are a few things we're not comfortable with yet as far as the overall footprint shape, the way the tire interacts. We think we've got some thing to improve before we put it on the race track. I'd say there's an outside chance we could be on a race track by the end of this year  (for testing) but I'd say it's a litlte more long term than that. There are still a lot of things that have to happen before you put it in the race. We're a couple of years out before we do that. It's going to be some fairly significant changes we think.'' (The Virginian-Pilot)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Goodyear tire testing at LMS: Goodyear is scheduled to hold a tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway with four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams representing each of the series manufacturers next week in preparation for the track's May races, including the 25th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 16, and the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24. Drivers scheduled to test at No. 9-Kasey Kahne (Dodge), No. 48-Jimmie Johnson (Chevy), No. 47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) and No. 98-Paul Menard. During both days of the Goodyear tire test, Lowe's Motor Speedway's frontstretch grandstand will be open free of charge from 9am - 5pm and fans should enter through Gate 5A, located next to the main ticket office. Additionally, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 ticket holders will have access to an infield grandstand on Wednesday, March 18, from 10am to 5pm, and can participate in a special fan forum featuring all four drivers from 12 - 1pm. Ticket holders for Lowe's Motor Speedway's May Cup races will need to check in at the speedway's ticket office to receive verification of their ticket purchase before entering the infield at Gate 26.(LMS PR)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Jeff Gordon defends Goodyear tires: While Goodyear has been an easy target of criticism from many of the drivers, Gordon defending the tire-maker after Sunday's race because of how difficult it is to build a tire for the track conditions at Atlanta. "Don't put all the blame on Goodyear," Gordon said. "I will challenge any tire manufacturer out there to build a tire for this car at this racetrack. It's impossible. I made kind of a joke earlier in the week with the Goodyear guys. I said I'm not going to complain about tires ever again because I thought that the last time we were slipping and sliding around a lot, and this time we were really slipping and sliding around. I think they came here. It was about 40 degrees cooler, track temperature. The conditions were different. … Everybody seemed to be happy with the tire. I think the cool track temperature may have covered up a couple things. I give them credit for trying. They were trying to do some things with the construction, based on some of the comments drivers made about how much the cars were moving around on the straightaways and getting into the corners. It didn't pay off." (USA Today)

Goodyear tire testing at Darlington: Darlington Raceway was the site of the latest Goodyear tire test today with four teams, one from each manufacturer that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, taking to the track. #96-Bobby Labonte, #29-Kevin Harvick, #19-Elliott Sadler and #11-Denny Hamlin began testing Tuesday afternoon with Goodyear engineers on the two-year old surface at Darlington. All four drivers gave the track good reviews and talked about the importance of winning at Darlington Raceway.
“Well obviously this is a very historic race track that we go to,” said Kevin Harvick. “It still has a lot of the characteristics that it’s had for a number of years so to come here and race as a driver in NASCAR, I think that’s something special to everyone in the garage. This is an exciting place for us to race at and to win would be really cool. We’ve been close a couple of times and it would be nice to finally win one.”
“This is a place I got to come to as a kid and watch races because it is not far from where I grew up so to come here and have a chance to win this race is a dream come true,” said Elliott Sadler. “I love that we race here, I’m glad it’s a night race, it’s a great event for us and since we only come here once a year we put a lot of effort into running well here because Darlington is still a huge cornerstone in our sport and represents where we’ve been and how far we’ve come.”
“They repaved the track last year and you hated to see it in one way but they did a great job and it’s still the same Darlington,” said 2000 Southern 500 winner Bobby Labonte. “Speeds have picked up, the surface is smoother but the racing is still great and it still means the same thing to win here.”
“Darlington is a great racetrack for me, I always run well here,” said Denny Hamlin who has won twice at Darlington in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. “It’s a great race track, I love running here and it’s got so much history. You hated to see it get paved but they did a great job doing it and it still promotes great racing. It’s a great track with great history and you love to win here no matter what car you are in.”
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at DarlingtonRaceway.com.(Darlington Raceway PR)

Monday, March 9, 2009

Goodyear Tire testing at Darlington Raceway: No. 11-Denny Hamlin (Toyota), no. 29-Kevin Harvick (Chevy), No. 96-Bobby Labonte (Ford) and No. 19-Elliott Sadler (Dodge) are scheduled to be at Darlington Raceway participating in a Goodyear tire test on Wednesday, March 11 in preparation for the Southern 500 on May 9th in which tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com (Darlington Raceway PR)

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Drivers have some concern about tires: While none of the drivers for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 seem particularly satisfied with the tire they’ll be racing, none of them seem eager to point the finger at Goodyear, either. And some of them are really looking for the challenge. "We have our hands full,” Gordon said Friday. “It’s gonna be a white-knuckle survival kind of race. I’m actually kind of excited about it.” That’s probably because Gordon remembers how much fun it was to race last weekend at Las Vegas, where slipping and sliding through the corners was commonplace. Polesitter Mark Martin said the track layout at Atlanta will only exaggerate that feeling. “This thing is so big and so sweeping that when you’re sliding for life from turn 4 to turn 1, you’re sliding for life for a long time,” Martin said. Three-time Atlanta winner Carl Edwards was practical about situation, noting that all 43 drivers were facing the same challenge. “It doesn’t matter to me what the tires were like as long as we all have the same tires,” said Edwards, who was second fastest in the final practice session. “It’s easy to have a positive attitude when you’re fast. We got the car driving pretty well, but it’s still a pretty slippery race track. It’s gonna be pretty fun and a good race.” Tony Stewart was extremely outspoken last March at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his criticism of the tire Goodyear brought to the race. Three tire tests (and one race) later, all reports are that this weekend's tire will wear much better and should provide more grip. But not everyone is convinced. "They did these tire tests here in (January) when the track temp was 50 degrees; it's 90 out here today," Gordon said. "There's not much grip at all. It's not wearing crazy or anything, but we've only been making one lap at a time. Thank goodness, that's about all I can handle." Gordon wasn't pointing fingers; in fact, he praised Goodyear for doing its best in what he considers a no-win situation. "I believe this track, and this car, especially with these temperatures, could possibly be the most difficult track in the world to build a tire for; it's almost beyond what they can do," Gordon said. "We have our hands full; it's gonna be a white-knuckle survival kind of race. I'm actually kind of excited about it." Gordon said the track's speed and abrasiveness wears so excessively on the tires that it's hard for the manufacturer to balance wear with grip. Even Stewart was in agreement that this year's tire was a much better - albeit not perfect - compound. "We don't have a ton of grip," Stewart said. "In race trim I think it'll be better, but we don't have quite as much grip as we've had in past."(AMS PR)

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Roush: Tires may of caused engine failure: At the forefront of Matt Kenseth’s mind, and the minds of the people at Roush Fenway Racing this week, is the cause of the failure. Engine failure also hampered fellow Roush drivers David Ragan and Carl Edwards. Team owner Jack Roush said that the problem might have originated with tires — they were too good. “I think we misjudged how fast this tire was going to be, and the engine turned more,” Roush said. “It’s the same spec on the engine that we had all of last year. It wasn’t something new or experimental. I had great confidence in it. “We had it the last third of last year, but we saw more RPM with it in qualifying than we ever had, and we saw more RPM in the race than we ever had. The tire didn’t fall off as much as we expected it to, so the tire did a real nice job, but we just over-revved the engine.” (Kansas City Star)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Stewart and Newman blast Goodyear tires: Neither Tony Stewart nor Ryan Newman was happy with Goodyear after they crashed with each other in Saturday morning's final Daytona 500 practice. "Same thing everybody has been talking about all week, same stuff we talk about every year - the failures that Goodyear has," Stewart said after a right-rear tire on Newman's car blew, sending the No. 39 Chevrolet around right in front of Stewart. Both of their Stewart-Haas Racing cars were damaged badly enough that they were forced to backup cars. It's the second backup car Newman has needed this week. "I think that's part of their marketing campaign," Stewart said of NASCAR's tire supplier. "The more we talk about it the more press they get. I think they forget that it's supposed to be in a good way, not a bad way." (ThatsRacin.com)

Friday, February 13, 2009

Drivers praise Goodyear: Goodyear tires were being heavily discussed again this week. But, for once, they weren’t being cussed. Several drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, said Thursday that they were expecting a great 500. One of the reasons? Tires. Goodyear got it right for Daytona, they said. (Kansas City Star)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Indy tire testing planned for April and June: Goodyear plans to test twice more at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tire company had three tests at that track last fall after the disastrous race there last year in which tires wore out within a few laps. One test is scheduled for April and will likely have three or four cars. The other test is expected to be held sometime in June and could be open to several more Cup teams. (Virginian Pilot)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

More tire testing planned at Indy: NASCAR expects to have at least two more Goodyear tire tests at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the Allstate 400 there in late July. Last year, NASCAR had to throw the caution every 12 to 13 laps during the race so teams could change tires and reduce the risk of tire failures. The tire rubber, instead of adhering to the track, turned into rubble and dust, causing a grating effect on the tires that eventually would cause them to blow. “Our tentative plan is [for] at least two more tire tests at Indianapolis,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Thursday during the Sprint Media Tour. “We’ve made some great strides. I think they’ve got the tire picked that they need. “We’re going to go back, and do, if not a development test, maybe start to do confirmation tests. There will be at least two of those.” (SceneDaily.com)

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

NASCAR apologizes for tire mishap: NASCAR apologized Tuesday for the tire fiasco that ruined its prestigious race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and vowed to avoid a repeat. A durability issue with the tires Goodyear brought to Indy forced NASCAR to call cautions every 10 to 12 laps on Sunday to slow the action and force teams to change their tires before they failed. The longest run under the green flag was 13 laps, and Jimmie Johnson claimed the victory at the end of a seven-lap sprint to the finish in the second-slowest race in the 15 years NASCAR has competed at the Brickyard. The drivers were disgusted, fans were frustrated and NASCAR is still trying to figure out why things went so wrong. "I can't say enough how sorry we are and it's our responsibility being NASCAR that we don't go through this situation again," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. "The race didn't come off like we had hoped, the fans didn't get what they exactly wanted and we'll do everything in our power — it won't happen again, I can tell you that much." (AP/Google)

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Extra tires shipped in for today's race: Goodyear trucked in extra shipment of tires Sunday morning for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard amid complaints about excessive wear during practice Friday and Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said the new shipment of tires, which were intended to be used at Pocono Raceway next week, could be used during the 160-lap, 400-mile race. If needed, the Pocono tires would be implemented unilaterally across the 43-car Sprint Cup Series field. Pemberton said there would be at least two NASCAR-mandated caution flags to check wear during the early stages of the race, with the first occurring on Lap 10.(USA Today)

NASCAR statement on tire issues: Following are comments from NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton, regarding tires for Sunday’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard: "We've got enough tires for Sunday's race and there will be up to 10 sets per team. Not everybody is going to use all of their tires in the last practice session. There may be some teams that keep an extra set behind. There’s only one NASCAR series that's here this weekend, and you don't get a chance to put enough rubber on the track. If you make a tire that lasts during practices, when you get into the race then they have issues with handling. It's always a challenge here. It's a ‘one-off’ tire that Goodyear builds for this place. The track is very abrasive because we don't run on it very often. Goodyear's doing the best they can. It's a situation we do see probably every time that we come here.”(NASCAR PR)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Kyle Busch, Kvapil and Riggs tire test at Atlanta: Kyle Busch, along with Cup Series drivers Travis Kvapil and Scott Riggs, each participated in the second and final day of tire testing by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch, testing in a fully-decaled #18 M&M's Toyota, posted a best lap of 180.662 mph (30.69 seconds). Riggs was the fastest of the group in his red and gray primer Chevrolet with a Haas CNC logo on the hood as he reached 180.994 mph (30.63 seconds), while Kvapil's primer white, decal-free Yates Racing Ford hit 175.101 mph (31.66 seconds).(AMS PR)

May 5, 2006:

Goodyear cites strong performance at LMS testing: Comments by Greg Stucker, Goodyear director of race tire sales and marketing: "We saw exactly what we expected from our Goodyear Eagle tires on the first day of NASCAR's open test for Nextel Cup cars at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and we are very pleased with the results. Our choice of tire for this NASCAR-sanctioned open test is the tire picked during our recent tire tests at Lowe's and, based on data and driver input, it also will be used during the two weekends of racing later in May at the newly paved track. Comments by some people at the open test indicate concern that our tire recommendation is conservative. They're right! We were very conservative in our choice and that was intentional. Lowe's is a very fast track with new pavement that will generate a lot of grip and a lot of heat. We felt we had to select a very conservative tire to accommodate that. Lap times, however, are on par with those of last year. On the first day of testing, Jeff Burton, for example, made a 35-lap run and his fastest lap was the 34th. We are very pleased with tire appearance and treadwear. All indications are that going a full gas stop with either the traditional full-size fuel tank, like the Busch cars will use, or the smaller mandated tank for the Coca-Cola 600 would be no problem. Yes, the tire is different and may require adjustment by teams and drivers from what they've run at Lowe's in the most recent past. We came with a completely redesigned right side tire. It utilizes a new mold shape to address the tremendous loads that we measured at our test last fall. This, combined with the harder tread compound, gives the conservative setup. It reduces grip, but it resists heat and treadwear. It is absolutely the right choice." (Goodyear Tire & Rubber PR)

April 5, 2006:

Goodyear officials optimistic at LMS: NASCAR officials are "guardedly optimistic'' that the latest tire developed by Goodyear will prevent a repeat of last year's caution-marred Nextel Cup races at newly paved Lowe's Motor Speedway.  "I believe this tire will be unique to anything else that we've seen,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition. Goodyear tested the tire on Tuesday, less than a week after initial tests showed more severe tire wear than there was at the October race in which there were an event-record 15 cautions, mostly for blown tires. Pemberton said the new tire is made of a harder compound that seems to wear better on the higher-than-normal speeds that are the result of the new surface. "They turned the factory upside down to answer the call of duty,'' he said of Goodyear. "They came back and designed a tire that was pretty tough. The drivers were happy. The speeds were still pretty good.'' (NASCAR.com)

April 1, 2006:

Second Goodyear test at Lowes Tuesday: Goodyear is planning to do a second tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Dale Jarrett and Kevin Harvick will test there Tuesday. (Roanoke Times)

March 29, 2006:

Goodyear testing at Lowes leads to record speeds, Johnson wrecks in AM

Jan. 2, 2006:

Goodyear testing: Goodyear will get a head start on its track tire development when it tests January 10-11 with Carl Edwards at Atlanta Motor Speedway and January 24-25 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Bobby Labonte at Texas Motor Speedway. Neither track has changed dramatically, but Goodyear engineers want to gather feedback on new compounds, tire designs and mold shapes. (Sporting News)

Oct. 31, 2005:

Michelin and Bridgestone to bid for NASCAR? When Goodyear's exclusive contract with NASCAR runs out, apparently at the end of 2007, both Bridgestone and Michelin are expected to bid for the new deal. The end of the season is 21 days away, and weary drivers and crews are looking ahead to some time off. For Jimmie Johnson that means an African safari. (Winston Salem Journal)

Aug 24, 2005

Tires at issue, NASCAR met with teams: NASCAR officials met with officials from Nextel Cup teams at its research & development center in Concord on Tuesday to discuss significant rules changes for the 2006 season. Among the changes outlined, according to a crew chief who attended the meeting, is a revamping of the testing policies aimed at minimizing the advantage multicar teams have because they can test more often. Currently, each Nextel Cup race team - each car number - is limited to five two-day tests and four one-day tests at tracks where the series competes. Rookies get seven two-day tests and five one-day tests. Next year, however, each team will test only at six designated tracks along with other teams from the same manufacturer. All Ford teams, all Chevrolet teams and all Dodge teams will test at the same tracks, four of which were designated by NASCAR and two more chosen in a vote taken at the meeting. Two of those tests will be at Daytona and Indianapolis. (Mercury Sun)

Aug 23, 2005

Goodyear reports no problems with tires: Goodyear, acutely sensitive to the tire problems that have plagued the Nextel Cup tour at times over the summer, carefully analyzed each blown tire Sunday, and there were at least seven. Cuts were examined on the tires of Kevin Harvick, Tony Raines and Kenny Schrader. But the tires on some cars simply lost air and blew, and Goodyear could find no particular reason. Those included the cars of Joe Nemechek, Jeff Green, Bobby Labonte and Dave Blaney. The Nemechek car was checked for any possible chassis-induced problems, but Goodyear could find none.Goodyear reported that tire wear was "fine," with no temperature problems. Numerous tire problems over the summer have prompted NASCAR officials to keep a closer eye on crew chiefs. Yesterday, NASCAR officials were checking air pressure on right-front tires. (Salem-Journal)

July 1, 2005

Andretti calls for free tires: In promising to refund the cost of tickets to U.S. Grand Prix ticket holders and offering to buy 20,000 tickets to next year's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michelin knows it will spend at least $12 million. But the tire manufacturer might end up paying much more, the sport's sanctioning body president told reporters in Paris this week. NASCAR driver John Andretti, a self-described F-1 fanatic, said the only way for Michelin to dig itself out of the public relations disaster is to offer ticket holders free tires, too. (Indy Star)

June 27, 2005

Special tire valves? Tires have been a headline issue in racing the past several weeks, and the latest twist concerns not the rubber or construction design but rather with the air-pressure valve. Some team engineers say they suspect rival teams of using special valves designed to bleed off excessive air pressure, to keep the tire at a constant pressure. That could be a significant advantage, because tires will typically build up as much as 16 psi over a 100-mile run, and tires with higher pressure handle much differently in corners. Such bleeder valves aren't new in racing, of course; however technology today could make such special valves virtually impossible to distinguish from ordinary valves. (Salem-Journal)

June 23, 2005

Ford better tire results? According to some engineers in the garage, Ford's tire-analysis program this season has been superior to General Motors' tire program, and that has been a key to the strong runs by Jack Roush's teams, including Biffle's. "I think we're doing the right things," Johnson said. "Top 10s are what will win the championship. We're definitely in championship form. (Salem-Journal)

June 12 2005

Goodyear Called to NASCAR hauler: Usually it's driver summoned to the NASCAR hauler after a race for bad behavior on the track, or crew chiefs who line up outside to argue a call. Sunday at Pocono Raceway, it was Goodyear Tire officials called to the hauler following the race as NASCAR sought an explanation for the dozen or so teams that experienced blown left-front tire problems.  "We just reviewed what happened today, tried to get all the facts sorted out," said Goodyear product manager Rick Heinrich. "We're just taking a closer look at what happened when and to whom."  NASCAR officials believed the problems were isolated to a few teams.  "Several cars had multiple occurrences. It wasn't like it was across the board," said NASCAR spokesman Herb Branham. (The State)

May 8, 2005

Goodyear Confirms Possible Tire Rule Change: Goodyear officials confirmed that NASCAR has proposed a "lease" situation under which teams would not buy tires, per se, but would instead lease them from Goodyear. The idea is to limit the number of tires available to teams for testing, and thus to reduce testing, period.  Teams still would pay the going price for a set of tires, about $1600, but all tires, used and unused, would be returned to Goodyear after each race. A similar rule is in place in IRL/IndyCar, for similar reasons. Teams often hoard unused tires for future track tests, with testing being a major expense.  "Team testing probably represents a great area of opportunity to save costs," Goodyear field director Rick Heinrich said. "A lot of these teams go straight from these races to testing, weekly. (SPEED)

May 6, 2005

NASCAR Tire Rule Changes? A NASCAR spokesman confirmed Thursday that the sanctioning body could require teams to lease tires instead of buy them during race weekends, with the long-term purpose of limiting testing. NASCAR representatives have been in contact with Indy Racing League officials about a similar policy it uses in the IndyCar Series, spokesman Jim Hunter said. Under current IRL rules, teams are supplied with between seven and nine sets of tires for an event, depending on its distance, and a maximum of 35 sets for Indianapolis 500 activities during May. At the end of each event, teams must return all of those tires. (ThatsRacin)

April 30, 2005

Michelin to NASCAR: Michelin, through its B.F. Goodrich subsidiary, has expressed official interest in becoming a tire provider for the major NASCAR series, but the ruling body’s chief operating officer, George Pyne, said, “Nothing is imminent.”  Pyne said any change in tire providers would not occur within the next two years, stressing that NASCAR was “loyal to Goodyear.” (Gaston Gazette) contract and take over the exclusive NASCAR franchise.(Salem-Journal)

April 18, 2005

Toyota and Bridgestone? There is a new twist to the Toyota-NASCAR game plan: according to sources Toyota is already testing NASCAR-style tires for Bridgestone-Firestone, with the implication that when Toyota does step up to the Nextel Cup series, it plans to do so with Bridgestone-Firestone. Since Goodyear has an exclusive contract with NASCAR, the questions are obvious - are Toyota and Bridgestone going to challenge that exclusivity, or is NASCAR going to open up the Cup tour to competition between the two tire giants? (Winston Salem Journal)

April 15, 2005

Goodyear to  Help teams: Each NASCAR racetrack rolls out unique demands on race engine setups, so NASCAR teams turn to Goodyear Engineered Products and its lineup of automotive belts to help optimize performance.  "Last week, many teams used mechanical cooling fans for engines at the Martinsville Speedway's 1/2-mile oval track," explained Mike Gregg, chief belt engineer for Goodyear. "This weekend's race at the Texas Motor Speedway's 1- 1/2 mile quad-oval doesn't require the fans, which means a different engine configuration and different belts."  Goodyear Gatorback Poly-V belts, found on every Nextel Cup Series racecar, have the flexibility built into them to match changing engine demands brought on by varying track lengths, surfaces and banking, said Gregg.  Goodyear provides 200 Gatorback Poly-V belt sizes to NASCAR engine builders, varying the length and number of ribs for use on alternators, cam and power steering drives, and water and oil pumps. "We provide countless combinations and configurations to meet their individual engineering demands," said Gregg.  "Engine setups at Texas will include belt-and-pulley ratios designed to overcome sustained high revolutions-per-minute," he said. "For much of the race, engines will be turning more than 9,000 rpm."  He added that high-power steering pump loads also will occur at the Texas track. (Goodyear PR) For more information, visit http://www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com

April 15, 2005

Goodyear to  Help teams: Each NASCAR racetrack rolls out unique demands on race engine setups, so NASCAR teams turn to Goodyear Engineered Products and its lineup of automotive belts to help optimize performance.  "Last week, many teams used mechanical cooling fans for engines at the Martinsville Speedway's 1/2-mile oval track," explained Mike Gregg, chief belt engineer for Goodyear. "This weekend's race at the Texas Motor Speedway's 1- 1/2 mile quad-oval doesn't require the fans, which means a different engine configuration and different belts."  Goodyear Gatorback Poly-V belts, found on every Nextel Cup Series racecar, have the flexibility built into them to match changing engine demands brought on by varying track lengths, surfaces and banking, said Gregg.  Goodyear provides 200 Gatorback Poly-V belt sizes to NASCAR engine builders, varying the length and number of ribs for use on alternators, cam and power steering drives, and water and oil pumps. "We provide countless combinations and configurations to meet their individual engineering demands," said Gregg.  "Engine setups at Texas will include belt-and-pulley ratios designed to overcome sustained high revolutions-per-minute," he said. "For much of the race, engines will be turning more than 9,000 rpm."  He added that high-power steering pump loads also will occur at the Texas track. (Goodyear PR) For more information, visit http://www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com

April 9, 2005

Goodyear Tires Testing at Brickyard Delayed: At the request of Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials, Goodyear has postponed next week's NASCAR tire testing because of problems resulting from the track's recent repaving.  Earlier this week Firestone abruptly ended its tire test at the track for the Indy Racing League when unusual wear was discovered on several right-side tires.  Goodyear is tentatively expected to conduct its test later this month.  "I don't know what the actual issue is, and it maybe even such where it was an issue with the IRL cars and would never affect a stock car. But whatever it may be, they shut down the IRL tire test," Nextel Cup series director John Darby said Saturday. (ThatsRacin)

Feb. 19, 2005

Goodyear In negations for Tire Deal: Goodyear officials confirmed Friday that they are ready to begin negotiating an extension to their current NASCAR contract, which expires in 2007. Goodyear is the only tire supplier for NASCAR’s Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck series. (Speed)

Feb. 17, 2005

NASCAR Pulls more tires 900 total: Goodyear officials admitted to a minor manufacturer problem that caused the tire maker to make the unique decision to pull several hundred more tires from its inventory for Nextel Cup teams. Goodyear originally isolated about 300 tires before the Budweiser Shootout after some teams experienced problems. Stu Grant, general manager of global race tires, announced Thursday morning at Daytona International Speedway that would be expanded to 900 tires."There was a slightly lower level of adhesion between the tread and the top fabric ply on the tires that experienced problems when you compare them to other tires that specific production run," Grant said.  Goodyear officials flew a company plane to Daytona Beach to pick up tires for analysis at its headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Testing was done overnight, and Goodyear announced its findings Thursday morning.Testing was done on samples of tires that had problems, samples of tires in the same group that didn't have problems and samples of tires from that had yet to be used. (NASCAR)

Daytona Tire Blues: Goodyear officials spent the first day of Daytona 500 practice scrambling to solve the second tire problem of Speed Weeks. Six drivers had problems with tread separating on their right side tires during practice Wednesday. When similar problems caused the tires to fall apart during practice for an exhibition race last week, Goodyear officials pulled about 300 tires out of their rotation as a precaution.  They pulled several more Wednesday, and Goodyear spokesman Greg Stucker said seven tires were being flown to the company's laboratory in Akron, Ohio, for testing. (ESPN)

Feb. 13, 2005

Goodyear Replaces over 150 potential problem tires: Goodyear officials exchanged about 190 right-side tires with teams Saturday morning as a precaution after problems developed during Friday night's practice for the Bud Shootout. Some teams, including those of Joe Nemechek and Jeremy Mayfield, had tire problems. Rick Heinrich, Goodyear's marketing manager for stock-car racing, said some of the tires showed signs of the tread lifting. Heinrich said that would cause a small bubble or the tread to tear open. Heinrich said the tries that showed this problem were among a similar group manufactured last fall. Heinrich said tire trouble with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car on Friday was not caused by the same problems. Earnhardt's problem stemmed from an ill-handling car. (roanoke.com)

Feb. 12, 2005

Daytona Tire Trouble: A potentially serious tire problem with Goodyear's new Daytona 500 tires developed last night during the first hours of SpeedWeeks practice for tonight's Bud Shootout kickoff, and some drivers, according to crews, are "scared."  Jeff Gordon admits he's a bit worried."We're not really sure what's going on. You're always concerned when you see those things. I talked to Tony Stewart and he said their stuff looks pretty good. But it does worry you when you see it happen to other guys because you're not really sure why it's happening.  "The tire here is a little softer than last year, and some teams had tire problems last year, though we didn't.  "We haven't seen any problems with our tires, and we don't know if the problem is just with random sets, or if those guys (with the problems) are just trying something that happens to be hurting the tire."  Greg Zipadelli, the crew chief for Stewart, says the problem of delamination includes both right-rear and right-front tires, indicating to him that it's not a chassis problem but a tire production problem. (Winston-Salem)

Jan. 27, 2005

Goodyear Out? Goodyear has been a stalwart on the NASCAR tours for decades, but rumblings are getting stronger that NASCAR is considering a major change in its tire-supplier contract.  Michelin is rumored to be in line for the exclusive deal in the next year or two. NASCAR people are still talking about Goodyear running out of tires for last year's 24 Hours of Daytona, a faux pas that was probably a key in the France family's switching to Hoosiers for this year's 24 Hours. (Winston Salem Journal)