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Goodyear Tire News/Rumors/Testing

Goodyear — based in Akron, Ohio — has an exclusive deal as NASCAR's supplier that runs through 2012.

Known or reported Goodyear Tire Tests for the 2008 season:
Atlanta, 12/11-12/2007, #43-Labonte
Las Vegas, 12/12-13, #20-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, Jeff Burton [was in #29], #9-Kahne, #28-Kvapil
Texas, 1/15-16. #42-Montoya, #07-Bowyer
Darlington, 3/10-11, #16-Biffle, #24-Gordon, #12-Newman
Darlington, 3/26, #16-Biffle, #24-Gordon, #12-Newman
Indianapolis, 4/22-23; #88-Earnhardt Jr., #2-Busch, #83-Vickers
Daytona, 5/13-14, #26-McMurray, #84-Skinner, #19-Sadler
Atlanta, 7-21, #18-Busch, #66-Riggs, #28-Kvapil
Kansas, 8/26, #96-Coleman, #1-Truex Jr.
Dover, 9/3 - #43-Labonte, #8-Martin
Daytona, 9/16-17, #6-Ragan, #15-Menard
Atlanta, 9/16 - #18-Busch, #28-Kvapil, #66-Riggs
Indianapolis, 9/22-23 - #45-Petty Enterprises
Indianapolis, 10/6-8 - #07-Bowyer, #1-Truex Jr, #5-Mears, #9-Kahne, #17-Kenseth, #20-Stewart, #29/33-Harvick, #38-Gilliland, #41-Sorenson, #44-Reutimann, #43-Pettys, #84-Red Bull Racing
Homestead, 10/14 - #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #83-Brian Vickers
Las Vegas, 12/10-11: #99-Edwards, #5-Martin, #83-Vickers, #12-Stremme

2009:
Phoenix, 1/13: #1-Truex Jr., #26-McMurray, #20-Logano, #44-Allmendinger
Atlanta, 1/20-21: #16-Biffle, #77-Hornish, #82-Speed, #42-Montoya
Darlington, 3-11: #11-Hamlin, #29-Harvick, #96-Labonte, #19-Sadler
Charlotte, 3/17-18: #9-Kahne, #48-Johnson, #47-Ambrose, #98-Menard
New Hampshire, 4/7-8: #24-Gordon, #12-Stremme, #18-Busch, #6-Ragan
Indianapolis, 4/20-21: #43-Sorenson, #39-Newman, #83-Vickers, #17-Kenseth
Indianapolis, 4/29: #9-Kahne, #39-Newman, #83-Vickers, #17-Kenseth
Daytona, 5/4-5: #5-Martin, #47-Ambrose, #77-Hornish Jr., #82-Speed, #98-Menard, #33-Bowyer, Almirola in an EGR Chevy
Indianapolis, 6/1-3: #14-Stewart, #42-Montoya, #9-Kahne, #7-Gordon, #36-TBA, #12-Stremme, #16-Biffle, #21-Elliott, and #31-Burton
Indianapolis, 6/15-16: #2-Busch and many other teams/drivers
Bristol, 7/7: #07-Mears and some Nationwide and Truck teams
Atlanta, 7/14-15: #14-Stewart, #2-Busch, #11-Hamlin, #26-McMurray
Dover, 8/4-5: #48-Johnson, #42-Montoya, #47-Ambrose, #18-Busch, #12-Stremme, #6-Ragan, #96-Labonte and #44-Allmendinger
Daytona, 9/22-23: #6-Ragan, #20-Logano, #47-Ambrose, #12-Keselowski and #33-Bowyer.
Richmond, 10/6: Paul Menard & Travis Kvapil in special Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Charlotte, 10/?: #88-Earnhardt Jr., #47-Marcos Ambrose, #17-Matt Kenseth and #19-Elliott Sadler
Daytona, 11/2-3: 17 drivers

Goodyear to test bigger tire: Goodyear will again test the taller, wider tire again with Roush Racing at Phoenix Intenrational Raceway on Dec. 8 and 9.(FoxSports)(11-17-2009)

Goodyear News Release -- Daytona test: 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 (#44 Ford), Marcos Ambrose (#47 Toyota), Kurt Busch (#2 Dodge), Kyle Busch (#18 Toyota), Erik Darnell (#96 Ford), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88 Chevy), Sam Hornish (#77 Dodge), Matt Kenseth (#17 Ford), Brad Keselowski (#12 Dodge), Sterling Marlin (#09 Chevy), Jamie McMurray (#26 Ford), Paul Menard (#98 Ford), Juan Pablo Montoya (#1 and #42 Chevy), David Ragan (#6 Ford), David Reutimann (#00 Toyota), Regan Smith (#78 Chevy) and Scott Speed (#82 Toyota).
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)(11-6-2009)

Two-Day Goodyear Tire Test For 2010 Daytona 500 Wraps Up: On Monday and Tuesday [Nov 2-3], 17 drivers with 18 cars were in attendance for a two-day Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway in advance of the 2010 Daytona 500. The list of drivers testing tire compounds for Goodyear included #17-Matt Kenseth, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #26-Jamie McMurray, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #2-Kurt Busch, #18-Kyle Busch, #6-David Ragan, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #12-Brad Keselowski, #00-David Reutimann, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #78-Regan Smith, #44/43-A.J. Allmendinger, #82-Scott Speed, #96-Erik Darnell, #98-Paul Menard and #09-Sterling Marlin. Drivers toured the legendary 2.5-mile tri-oval shaking down Goodyear tires in both single car and drafting sessions. Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch said the drafting sessions consisted of 15, 20 and 30-lap runs. Tickets for the 52nd annual Daytona 500, which start at $55, as well as other Speedweeks 2010 events, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(11-3-2009)

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 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Spectators are welcome to watch at no charge from the Oldfield Grandstands.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(11-2-2009)

Goodyear to test 'Big' Tire again: Goodyear is set to test the larger tire it is developing on Dec. 8-9 at Phoenix International Raceway. Roush Fenway Racing, which did the test at Richmond earlier this month, will again do the test since it has a car to accommodate the larger dimensions.(Roanoke Times)(10-26-2009)

Tire test at LMS: Goodyear completed a two-day tire test Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway with #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota), #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevy), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford) and #19-Elliott Sadler (Dodge).(Roanoke Times)(10-20-2009)

Goodyear says all teams can test tires 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)(10-10-2009)

Goodyear happy with test of larger tire: UPDATE: Goodyear's Stu Grant, the veteran racing boss, says this week's first on-track test of the proposed new 17-inch NASCAR racing tire-and-wheel, at Richmond International Raceway, was a success, and he is planning a second test in later this fall, probably at Phoenix International Raceway (where the Sprint Cup tour races Nov. 15, providing a good baseline). "We got it on the ground for the first time, and we plan to put it on a short track, like Phoenix, sometime later this year, before January 1st," Grant said. "And then we will sit down with NASCAR and say 'Okay, here we are looking at 2010….and how aggressive do we want to be with this thing?'" Grant said "We don't have a firm timetable for implementation" of the new tire in NASCAR racing. "And obviously NASCAR is in step with us in this whole process." But Grant made very clear the 17-inch tire concept was a decided plus for Goodyear. Paul Menard and Travis Kvapil tested the new, larger tires in Jack Roush Fords, against baseline runs on Goodyear's current 15-inch NASCAR tires. "Travis said the 17-inch was very similar to the 15-inch from a handling standpoint," Grant said. "Paul thought it was more forgiving and easier to drive; that you could get back in the throttle quicker. "The nice thing is it ran cooler. So with a bigger footprint on the ground, more rubber, that's nice, because that gives us some room to play with, from a compound standpoint." Another issue here is the larger tire requires some chassis changes to make the tire fit under the fenders -- and keeping those changes to a minimum – economically as well as technically – may be the biggest challenge. Still, the key so far is that the test confirmed the theory that a larger tire would run cooler and offer more grip.(MikeMulhern.net)(10-9-2009)
UPDATE: Listen to Roush's own reaction to the prospect of racing a new, larger tire: "There is no 17-inch tire coming….and you can quote me on that. It would be too expensive….it's unnecessary… There is maybe only one tire company in the world that could do that, as seen by me. And based on my conversations with NASCAR, I don't think there is any 17-inch tire coming. The things that Goodyear is learning through the 17-inch-tire excusion, or experiment, is intended to benefit the tires we have today." Yes, Roush confirms he is Goodyear's lead in this program. "But there is no 17-inch tire in our future," Roush insists.(Mike Mulhern.net)(10-10-2009)

Larger tire to be tested at Richmond: 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)(10-3-2009)

Goodyear to test larger tire: Goodyear will test a new larger NASCAR tire on October 6th at Richmond International Raceway. The 17-inch tire - which is an inch-and-a-half wider and higher - will provide a larger contact patch on the track and is expected to offer better handling and more grip. "The longitudinal grip improves the forward and back motion while the lateral grip helps with cornering," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear Director of Race Tire Sales. "We'll be looking at what performance gains it gives us and what it allows us to do. Roush Fenway Racing is providing the car and driver for the test. Stucker said the car had to be modified for the test. Goodyear will also test a car using the current 15-inch tire to use as a baseline to compare the two tires. Goodyear will also return for further testing at Daytona International Speedway on Nov. 2. Stucker hopes to entice at least 20 to 25 cars to offer the full feel of the draft.(Fox Sports)(9-28-2009)

Tire Testing at Daytona on Sept 22/23: UPDATE 2: #6-David Ragan (Ford), #20-Joey Logano (Toyota), #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota), #12-Brad Keselowski (Dodge) as well as to-be-named driver from Richard Childress Racing (Chevy) are scheduled participate in a Goodyear Tire Test at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday, Sept. 22 and Wednesday, Sept. 23, 9:00am to 5:00pm/et. The test is open to fans, who can go through Daytona 500 Experience to the Oldfield Grandstand to watch the testing.(DIS)(9-19-2009)
UPDATE: #33-Clint Bowyer is the RCR driver participating in the test at DIS.(9-22-2009)
UPDATE 2: Five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers wrapped up a two-day Goodyear tire test on Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. In between rain showers, drivers shook down tires for Goodyear in advance of the 52nd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14. "I think the Goodyear tires the last year or two have been pretty competitive," #6-David Ragan said after the first day of testing. "We haven't had any issues with them. It's just a deal where Goodyear tries to fine tune on their tires and combinations to make it right. I'm sure this won't be the last (test) before the Daytona 500 in February." Ragan participated in last September's Goodyear tire test at Daytona while #20-Joey Logano and #47-Marcos Ambrose were among a group of drivers who tested tires in May. "We tried a lot of different tires," Logano said. "I think we had about five or six different ones that we put on, just trying different things that Goodyear has come up with. We had some good ones and some that weren't as good. You pick what you want and I'm sure they'll change a few things. I know they are going to come back here again and do some drafting." The test gave Brad Keselowski his first opportunity to work with his new #12 team for the 2010 season. Keselowski, who competes for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will join Penske in 2010 for his first full Sprint Cup Series season.(DIS PR)(9-23-2009)

No rain tires for Cup...yet UPDATE:
NASCAR president Mike Helton said more research will have to be done before fans see Sprint Cup Series cars racing in wet conditions. #24-Jeff Gordon said he isn't thrilled about the idea but enjoyed watching the 2008 Nationwide race in Montreal run in wet conditions. #39-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)(8-9-2009)
UPDATE: Well before the first raindrops fell at Watkins Glen International this weekend, NASCAR president Mike Helton publicly stated there were no plans in place to run a Sprint Cup road race on a wet track in the near future. But if there was ever a change of heart from the sanctioning body, Goodyear officials said Sunday the Akron-based tire company would be equal to the task. "We certainly think so," Goodyear spokesman Greg Stucker said. "There's not that big a difference between the two cars and if you go back years ago, we did run them in Japan on the Cup cars. We're confident we could have a package that would be suitable, if that's what they chose to do." In fact, Goodyear's newest stock-car racing rain tire, closely related to the Eagle One passenger tire, underwent extensive testing this past November at Goodyear's facility in Texas. They used one of Chip Ganassi's Nationwide cars with Juan Montoya behind the wheel, and from all indications, the improvements made to the tire proved successful.(NASCAR.com)(8-9-2009)

Tire testing at Dover: Goodyear is scheduled to test tires at Dover Internation Speedway on August 4-5, #48-Jimmie Johnson (Chevy) and #18-Kyle Busch (Toyota) are among the drivers scheduled to test.(ESPN's NASCAR Now), also hearing #42-Juan Pablo Montoya will test.(8-1/4-2009)
UPDATE: Several drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are at Dover International Speedway on track as part of a Goodyear tire test on August 4 and 5 in preparation for the upcoming Sept. 25-27, 2009 "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" race weekend. Participating drivers include: #48-Johnson, #42-Montoya, #47-Ambrose, #18-Busch, #12-Stremme, #6-Ragan, #96-Labonte and #44-Allmendinger. Truck Series drivers testing: #5-Skinner and #6-Braun. This is a closed test session and fans are not permitted in the outdoor grandstand or inside the track.(Dover International Speedway)(8-5-2009)

Goodyear, drivers happy with Indy tire: Any lingering concerns about tires again making a mockery of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard were put to rest Friday during two hour-long practice sessions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Goodyear was embarrassed a year ago when rapid tire wear produced a race run in short stints between mandatory cautions that resulted in a race-record 52 of 160 laps under caution. After seven visits to the Speedway for more than 13,000 miles of testing, Goodyear saw the results it was hoping for Friday. Goodyear's Greg Stucker admitted to a "few butterflies" as the day began, but they quickly flew away as it became clear NASCAR's 16th visit to the Speedway would not be a repeat of the 15th. "Everything we've seen we're very happy with," said Stucker, expressing complete confidence that Sunday's race will go off without a hitch. "There was a little apprehension, but it settled when we saw the track rubber in so quickly."(Indianapolis Star)(7-25-2009)

Tire Test at Atlanta UPDATE: 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: #14-Tony Stewart (Chevy), #2-Kurt Busch (Dodge), #11-Denny Hamlin (Toyota) and #26-Jamie McMurray (Ford). This session is closed to the public.(AMS)(7-10-2009)
UPDATE: 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 #2-Kurt Busch, #11-Denny Hamlin, #26-Jamie McMurray and #14-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)(7-14-2009)

Stewart say Goodyear has solved Indy tire problems: Two-time Allstate 400 winner #14-Tony Stewart says he's confident Goodyear has solved the tire problems that plagued last year's race at the Brickyard. Stewart was among the drivers who participated in Goodyear's seven test sessions at the track since last year, when the problems turned the race into a series of 10- to 12-lap sprints. Stewart says he was able to run about 30 laps on the new tires during the tests and he's "not at all" concerned about their durability. (Associated Press)(7-8-2009)

Goodyear conducts tire test at Bristol: Drivers from NASCAR's top three series were at Bristol Motor Speedway Tuesday for a closed-session tire test to help Goodyear determine the best compounds for the upcoming August races. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular #07-Casey Mears tested tires for the Aug. 22 Sharpie 500, while Jason Keller and Steve Wallace ran laps on behalf of the Nationwide Series competitors who will race in the Aug. 21 Food City 250. Past Camping World Truck Series champions Todd Bodine and Ron Hornaday were on hand representing that series. After spending the morning hours working rubber into the track, the drivers began to get a feel for what to expect in August.(Bristol Motor Speedway PR)(7-7-2009)

Goodyear returns to Indy for another tire test: UPDATE: 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 #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)(6-16-2009)
UPDATE: Jeff Gordon insists this year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will be a real race, not a seven-lap sprint to the finish line like last year. He guarantees it. After rain washed out most of Goodyear's final tire testing day at Indianapolis, the four-time Cup champion gave the manufacturer's new, softer tires an unwavering endorsement for one of NASCAR's biggest races. "I'm 100 percent confident," he said Tuesday. "I ran this tire as hard as I possibly could, and this is a dead issue. This race might come down to a lot of things - fuel, pit strategy, a double-file restart - but it is not going to come down to a 10-lap shootout on whose tires can last the longest." Race organizers and Goodyear could not have hoped for a stronger statement from one of the series most recognizable drivers, nor could they have chosen a better time for Gordon to make it. Race tire sales director Greg Stucker could not calculate how much money or how many man-hours were spent resolving the problem but acknowledged that tires for Indianapolis were discussed every day since late July. Teams were running 20-lap intervals late [Monday] afternoon and projected they could have gone 35 to 40 laps on the new tires. Gordon suggested he could have run 50, and Carl Edwards ran multiple segments Monday, totaling 33 or 34 laps, before running out of fuel.(Associated Press)(6-16-2009)

Tire Testing at Indy: UPDATE: Goodyear is back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week with several Sprint Cup drivers and teams, conducting a sixth test since last year's tire meltdown at Indy during the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard. The Allstate 400, seven weeks away on July 26, is NASCAR's second-biggest event of the year. Only the Daytona 500 ranks higher in terms of prestige and importance. How serious is it? Serious enough that Goodyear invited its biggest critic in the past -- Tony Stewart -- to make some laps on Monday at Indy. As did #12-David Stremme, who was pleased with the progress Goodyear has made. "They brought a tire that has really even wear," Stremme said. "We got to a full fuel run [about 30 laps]. Goodyear has done their homework." Twelve Cup teams will participate in a seventh test later this month. The three-day test this week is closed to the media.(ESPN.com). scheduled to test are #14-Tony Stewart, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #9-Kasey Kahne, #7-Robby Gordon, #36-?, #12-David Stremme, #16-Greg Biffle, #21-Bill Elliott and #31-Jeff Burton. The public can view the testing from the infield grandstands in the South chute.(6-3-2009)
UPDATE: 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: #16-Greg Biffle, #31-Jeff Burton, #36-Patrick Carpentier, #21-Bill Elliott, #7-Robby Gordon, #9-Kasey Kahne, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya #14-Tony Stewart and #12-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)(6-4-2009)

Goodyear to test tires at Indy, June 1-3: 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 #14-Tony Stewart, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #9-Kasey Kahne, #7-Robby Gordon, #36-Scott Riggs, #12-David Stremme, #16-Greg Biffle, #21-Bill Elliott, and either #07-Casey Mears or #31-Jeff Burton. The second test is expected to have at least a dozen teams June 15-17.(Roanoke Times)(5-25-2009)

Goodyear tests at Daytona: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company continued its summer testing program with a visit to Daytona International Speedway this past week. The tire manufacturer was at the famed speedway with 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup teams on Monday and Tuesday, testing several tire combinations that will help the cars drive with more stability while jockeying around in the draft. Participating in this week's two-day tests were Chrevrolet drivers Aric Almirola. Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer; Dodge driver A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish; Ford drivers Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard; and Toyota drivers Marcos Ambrose, Joey Logano and Scott Speed. "We tested at Daytona this week because we're continually trying to improve the tire package there," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's Director of Race Tire Sales. "Even though its a superspeedway of two-and-a-half miles, it requires a good handling package. Now that we have more of a history with the COT at Daytona, we felt like we could give the drivers some more grip and enhance the cars' stability in the multi-car packs. The test went very well, and we accomplished a lot over the two days. The teams worked through all the tire combinations we brought, and I believe we've got some good options to review in determining the final tire set-up for July." Goodyear will finalize it's tire recommendation this coming week for Daytona's Coke Zero 400 scheduled for July 3-4.(Goodyear PR)(5-9-2009)

Tire testing at Daytona UPDATE: Goodyear has scheduled a tire test at Daytona International Speedway for Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5, 9am/et. Drivwers scheduled to test: #5-Mark Martin, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #82-Scott Speed, #98-Paul Menard, #33-Clint Bowyer, #?-Aric Almirola [Earnhardt Ganassi Racing], #20-Joey Logano, #26-Jamie McMurray and #44-A.J. Allmendinger.(5-1-2009)
UPDATE: With the upcoming Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola on July 2-4 two months away, 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers participated in a two-day Goodyear tire test on Monday and Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway. Among the drivers participating in the test includes #5-Mark Martin, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #82-Scott Speed, #98-Paul Menard, #33-Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola, #20-Joey Logano, #26-Jamie McMurray and #44-A.J. Allmendinger. “When you get here, they let you get your stuff sorted out and get your car handling good and then they start throwing tires at you and getting your input on which one you think is best,” said Bowyer on Monday after the first day of testing. “We were able to get out there and draft a little bit and just try to get the speeds up as much as possible and go through the motions of the different tires and which we think is best.” Having such a big group of drivers here for the two-day test on the 2.5-mile tri-oval has helped Goodyear engineers gather a significant amount of information. “Just having three or four cars out there drafting, you don’t get the 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 out there drafting for a tire test,” said Bowyer, who drives for Richard Childress Racing. “The tire doesn’t get the abuse that it does when you are under the loads of drafting with 40 cars out there. I think they got a good amount of cars here, the right amount.”
Said McMurray, a 2007 Coke Zero 400 champion, after the first day of testing: “We did 15-lap runs, maybe we did 10 of them, different compounds, different construction. I think they are trying to eliminate heat in the tire and also get your feedback on how the car drives – better or worse.” McMurray, who drives for Roush Fenway Racing, nipped Kyle Busch in the 2007 mid-summer classic by .005 seconds, the second closest finish in NASCAR history. He says he frequently looks back on that triumph. “Pretty much every day I think about that,” McMurray said. “It’s so cool to get to win at Daytona. Every kid growing up, if you want to make it in NASCAR, the Daytona race is what you think about.”
For Marcos Ambrose, this was his second Goodyear tire test and the Tasmania native was thrilled to get more laps around DIS. “I’ve had a few laps around Daytona now, but you never get sick of driving around here,” Ambrose said on Monday. “The bumps, the car moving around, just the feel of the place is spectacular and it’s great to be down here running. We just done the simple stuff, single-car runs and a little bit of drafting this afternoon trying to get use to the way the car moves around here in the heat. It’s definitely different than what it’s here for the 500. The track is a lot slicker and there’s less grip to use. It’s fun and it’s a learning experience for me.”(DIS PR)(5-5-2009)

Goodyear Completes Another Tire Test at Indy: Goodyear returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway Wednesday for a continuation test to gather data in preparation for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the track July 24-26. Testing this week were #9-Kasey Kahne (Dodge), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #39-Ryan Newman (Chevy) and #83-Brian Vickers (Toyota). Once again, due to rain in the Indianapolis area, Goodyear and the teams were confronted with a 'green' race track and a delayed start to their day. After working to get the track rubbered in, teams got down to testing the various tire set-ups Goodyear brought. "We were able to make significant progress laying rubber down on the track surface at Indy during our test with just four cars this week. Having said that, we still have some work to do and some things we'd like to try to enhance overall performance and come up with the optimum tire set-up for the Brickyard 400," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's Director of Race Tire Sales. "With the limited amount of track time we've been able to squeeze in over the last two weeks because of rain, we will likely go back to IMS right after the Indianapolis 500 in May in preparation for our multi-car test in mid-June." The dates for the initial test in June are yet to be determined, while a 12-car test is scheduled to be run at the Speedway June 15-16.(Goodyear PR)
AND Ryan Newman described Wednesday's tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a "small gain" in regards to the number of laps he could run on one set of Goodyears. "The tires [used for racing at Indianapolis] are still not ideal," he said before Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup practice at Richmond International Raceway. The test was the fourth since last year's fiasco in which NASCAR had to call a competition caution about every dozen laps in the Brickyard 400 because tires were wearing so fast. Newman said he got a maximum of 18 laps on a set of tires during Wednesday's test. "Last week it was 10 laps," Newman said. "So it was a gain in number of laps." Newman said Goodyear may have to consider bringing one set of tires to put rubber on the track during practice for the July race and another to actually race on.(ESPN.com)(5-1-2009)

After rain leaves, drivers test tires at Indy: Rain again disrupted a Goodyear test today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but once the track dried shortly after noon, four NASCAR teams were able to get in nearly six hours of tire testing. The purpose of the one-day session, which was a continuation of last week's rain-plagued test, was to settle on the tire compound Goodyear will bring to a final test June 15-16. That session will involve about a dozen teams as Goodyear works to avoid the embarrassing problems that marred last year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This year's race is scheduled July 26. #39-Ryan Newman (Chevy), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #83-Brian Vickers (Toyota) and #9-Kasey Kahne (Dodge) were the participating drivers Wednesday.(Indianapolis Star)(4-30-2009)

Goodyear returns to Indy to test tires this week: 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 #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #39-Ryan Newman (Chevrolet), #43-Reed Sorenson (Dodge) and #83-Brian Vickers (Toyota).
“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 #9-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)(4/28-2009)

Goodyear still looking for right compound for Indy: NASCAR and Goodyear made progress in finding a suitable tire for Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but drivers who participated in testing at the 2.5-mile oval this week said work remains to solve the durability issues that turned last year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard into a debacle. Ryan Newman of Stewart-Haas Racing said teams worked through several compounds and constructions bud "didn't really see anything that is ideal." Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers said the tires lasted longer than in the 2008 race but not as long enough for a full fuel run. Last season, NASCAR had to throw a caution flag every 10 to 12 laps to avoid blowouts. "It was an embarrassment for the sport, and I commend NASCAR and Goodyear (for) going above and beyond to try to get this problem fixed," Vickers said. "They're looking for perfection. Unfortunately from what I've seen, we're going to have a fast tire. There's just no way around it. When you make these tires slower and harder, they just slide across the pavement and because of that grooving it just turns into a shredder. So we're going to have to have a softer, faster tire that essentially will grip the track instead of sliding across it to make it last."(USA Today)(4-26-2009)

Indy tire testing MORE: Richard Petty Motorsports driver #43-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 #17-Matt Kenseth [Ford], Stewart-Haas Racing's #39-Ryan Newman [Chevy] and Red Bull Racing's #83-Brian Vickers [Toyota] 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.(SceneDaily)(4-21-2009)
UPDATE: Despite being disrupted by rain for the second day in a row, a NASCAR tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is providing Goodyear engineers with valuable information to help ensure against a repeat of last year's caution-filled Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. "We feel like we're establishing a very good baseline so that we can walk out of here with a good, solid recommendation for what to bring back in June," Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales, said Tuesday at the track. "The most important thing is we want to make sure we get everything done we need to get done, and that means getting different opinions on different combinations." Goodyear tested three times last fall and has four Sprint Cup teams in town for the current test, which was extended to today because of the frequent rain. A final shakedown in preparation for the July 26 race is scheduled June 15-16 with about a dozen teams expected to participate. The extra testing is the result of an embarrassing 2008 race in which a record 52 of the 160 laps were run under caution because of rapid and excessive tire wear. NASCAR was forced to throw competition cautions every dozen or so laps out of concerns for driver safety. Stucker said the problem was a tire compound incompatible with the track surface and NASCAR's new, heavier car -- the so-called Car of Tomorrow -- that had not previously run at Indy. Instead of the expended rubber working its way into the track, which is intentionally abrasive to provide more tire grip, the particles were so small that they turned to dust and literally floated away. Tires haven't been a major issue at any of the first eight races this season and Stucker is confident they won't be at Indy, either. "Three tests here last year and two this year certainly demonstrates we're taking it seriously," he said. "Goodyear, the racetrack, NASCAR and all the teams are putting forth the effort to make sure we don't have anything like that again."(Indianapolis Star)(4-23-2009)

Tire test at New Hampshire: UPDATE: there is a scheduled Goodyear Tire Test at New Hampshire on Tues. and Wed. this week [April 7-8], with drivers scheduled being: #24-Jeff Gordon (Chevy); #18-Kyle Busch (Toyota), #6-David Ragan (Ford) and #12-David Stremme (Dodge)(4-6-2009)
UDPATE: Weather has been a real problem during the two-day Goodyear tire test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Because of rain Tuesday, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, David Stremme and David Ragan got on to the one-mile track for only about an hour. On Wednesday, they were turning laps with winds gusting up to 25 mph and the temperature 41 degrees.(PRN Garage Pass)(4-8-2009)

Grooved Tires at Martinsville? many readers noticed grooved tires stacked in the garage area of Martiinsville Speedway and asked if NASCAR was thinig of using rain tires, the answer to that is NO. Goodyear provides the teams a special grooved tire [for easy identification] that is used while the cars are moved around when the actual racing tires are not available to them.(ESPN)(3-30-2009)

Tire Tests planned at Indy and AMS: 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. Goodyear also plans to test again at Atlanta after not being satisfied with the performance there earlier this month. Goodyear is also set with its tire choice for upcoming events at Dover, Pocono, Michigan and Infineon. It has tests planned for New Hampshire and Chicagoland coming up. It also will conduct a test at Iowa Speedway with Camping World Truck Series teams as the Trucks and Nationwide series debut at the track later this year.(SceneDaily)(3-20-2009)

Wider tire couple years away: A Goodyear official said 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 new tire is 17 inches in diameter. The current tire is 15 inches in diameter. The new tire is 1.5 inches wider. What Goodyear likes about the new tire: "We're able to have a litlte bit more durable package. The tire is going to be wider and with it being taller actaully elongates the footprint, makes it longer. By having a wider footprint that means more cornering power that translates, basically into more grip.(Virginian Pilot)(3-19-2009)
AND: There are no tests yet planned for a bigger tire, which would be 17 inches in diameter instead of 15 inches. Stucker said Goodyear officials met with NASCAR on Tuesday about the bigger tire. “We feel like we’ve still got some work to do,” Stucker said. “We’re seeing some performance advantages [as far as durability], which was one of the goals. There’s a few things we’re not comfortable with yet as far as the overall footprint shape, the way the tire interacts [with the road surface]. We think we have some things to improve before we put it on the race track. There is an outside chance we could get on the race track [to test] by the end of this year, but I would say it’s probably a little more long-term than that.”(SceneDaily)(3-19-2009)

Goodyear Tire Test Concludes at Lowe's Motor Speedway: Goodyear concluded a two-day tire test Wednesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway as the tire manufacturer prepared for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600. Assisting Goodyear in gathering data for the test was a driver from each manufacturer represented in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series-Marcos Ambrose in the #47 Toyota, Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Chevy, Kasey Kahne in the #9 Dodge, and Paul Menard in the #98 Ford. Each of the drivers expressed their approval of the tire compound that Goodyear brought to the famous 1.5-mile quad-oval, the same tire first introduced in competition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in early March.
"I'm very encouraged by this tire and talking with (Goodyear's) engineers, they plan to run this tire a lot more and start working it in," said Johnson, a three-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600. "It (the tire) was new in Las Vegas but hopefully this is a tire we can use at a lot of places to bring some stability back. There's a lot of speed out there right now and with comfort comes speed. That's really what it boils down to."
"Goodyear has done a great job over the past six months to a year in developing a tire you can race side-by-side on," said Kahne, two-time winner and defending champion of the Coca-Cola 600. "This car threw some different things at them at first, but I think Las Vegas was a huge improvement and I think that same tire will be good here."
Each driver also participated in question-and-answer fan forums during the lunch hour from pit road. Ticket holders for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in May at Lowe's Motor Speedway were allowed to watch today's test session and participate in the fan forums from a special infield viewing area. Tickets for the NASCAR race events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the May 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, are on sale now and can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com. Convenient payment plan options and affordable multi-day ticket packages are available.(LMS PR)3-19-2009)

Goodyear Tire test at LMS March 17-18 UPDATE: 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 #9-Kasey Kahne (Dodge), #48-Jimmie Johnson (Chevy), #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) and #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)(3-13/17-2008)
UPDATE: The tire compound Goodyear brought to Las Vegas Motor Speedway last month got favorable reviews from drivers conducting testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday, increasing the likelihood that the Vegas tire will be used going forward at mile and a half tracks like Lowe's. Goodyear officials said the right-side tires in particular will be the new "control'' tire at most intermediate tracks. Goodyear officials said the only reason the Vegas tire wasn't used at Atlanta was that the tire for Atlanta had already been approved before the Vegas race.(3-18-2009)

Goodyear Tire Test at Darlington Raceway UPDATE:: #11-Denny Hamlin (Toyota), #29-Kevin Harvick (Chevy), #96-Bobby Labonte (Ford) and #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 (Darlington Raceway PR). The testing is NOT open to the public.(3-9-2009)
UPDATE: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.”
Darlington Raceway or the track “Too Tough to Tame” as it is known to many, is where the purest of NASCAR competition meets true southern hospitality. A NASCAR staple since 1950, Darlington Raceway has seen some of motorsports most talented drivers thunder to Victory Lane. In 2009 a NASCAR tradition, the Southern 500, will return as Darlington Raceway celebrates 60 Seasons of Racing. Be a part of history when Darlington Raceway celebrates 60 years of racing in 2009. Tickets to the 2009 Southern 500, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.(Darlington Raceway PR)(3-12-2009)

Drivers a tad concerned about the tires at Atlanta: 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 Pit Notes)(3-8-2009)

Goodyear Tire Outlook for Kobalt Tools 500: After experiencing tire issues during the 2008 Kobalt Tools 500, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company will return to Atlanta Motor Speedway with a much-improved tire design for the 2009 edition. Goodyear conducted two tire tests in Atlanta preceding the fall’s Pep Boys Auto 500 and tested once more in January to ensure a better tire for the Kobalt Tools 500. Compared to the tires from last fall provided by Goodyear, the left side tire for the Kobalt Tools 500 will feature a new compound to improve grip. Additionally, construction changes to both the left-side and right-side tires should improve handling during the Kobalt Tools 500. "I am extremely happy with the tire that Goodyear has brought here to test," said Biffle following the January tire test. "They have a new left-side compound that puts a lot of driveability into the car. The old tire [in March of 2008] lost grip running on the bottom after five to eight laps. But this tire really hooks up to the bottom of the track for an extend run and you're not sliding all over the place. It's more like the old Atlanta that all of [the drivers] like."(AMS PR)(3-5-2009)

Goodyear takes back tires UPDATE: Goodyear took back eight right-side tires that it had assigned to teams, believing that they came from a possible bad batch that could have resulted in some of the tire problems Sprint Cup teams had Thursday during the Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway. The tires were replaced Friday, according to a Goodyear spokesman. Goodyear Director of Race Tire Sales Greg Stucker had said earlier in the day that the company was trying to figure out what had happened in a couple of the instances. Overall, Stucker said prior to practice Friday that he was “pretty happy” with the tire wear so far this week.(SceneDaily)
UPDATE: After Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin had problems in the 150-mile qualifiers, Goodyear noticed that portions of their tires in question were all manufactured on the same day. So Goodyear took back the eight tires that had the same components made on that day as a precautionary measure. Results of any tests won’t be known until next week, said Goodyear general manager of racing tires Stu Grant. No other tires will be mounted for the Daytona 500 on Sunday that came from that batch, Grant said Saturday morning at Daytona International Speedway. “It looked like either a tire that blistered and kept blistering or a tire that was severely worn,” Grant said. “It looked a little more severe than some of the other ones. It looked different enough that it’s why we looked at the sequence numbers and see if there was anything common there. We noticed a common processing date for one of our manufacturing components.” The teams were not doing anything excessive with the setups, Grant said. “Everything we know is circumstantial right now,” Grant said. “You look at it and you say you have the same common processing date for these tires, so let’s get them back and be sure.”(SceneDaily)(2-14-2009)

Goodyear developing bigger tire: Goodyear is developing a wider, taller tire that could improve racing in the Sprint Cup series, but the tire won't be ready for competition until sometime next year at the earliest, a company official said. Goodyear officials hope to test the tire at a track in the second half of the season, said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. The tire could make its debut at the short- track events in 2010 if things go well. That would follow how NASCAR phased in the Car of Tomorrow. The main advantage of a taller, wider tire is it could give drivers more grip. That would help the car's handling and could give teams improved tire wear. "We're operating right on the edge of the envelope for our current package," Stucker said. "The new car definitely seems to stress tires differently with the additional right-side weight, it's harder on those right sides. We would like to go taller and wider to... make the tire a little bit more forgiving and a little less sensitive to maybe guys missing the setup or maybe being more aggressive on their setups." Goodyear's current Cup tire is 28.5 inches tall and 11-12 inches wide, depending on the track configuration. Stucker said that Goodyear officials are looking at making the tire 1.5 to 2 inches taller and the same amount wider. That creates issues, though. A taller, wider tire will force teams to alter their cars and that could cause headaches. "When you raise the car up, obviously, you change your suspension pickup points and so on and so forth," Stucker said. "We're trying to be very careful in approaching this. If there are going to be changes necessary, make sure they're the right changes and let's think through it. We're proceeding fairly cautiously." Another issue is that Stucker said that Goodyear would have to alter its equipment to produce a different-sized tire. That will take time. "We've got to make some fairly significant changes, which we are in the process of planning and getting ready to do," Stucker said. "That's going to take some time to upgrade all of that equipment."(Virginian Pilot)(2-5-2009)

Indy tire testing in 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. Also, Goodyear is bringing a different tire to Daytona this year. Some of Goodyear's tires blistered last February in its first race at Daytona. The right-side compound has been altered slightly to make it harder. The left-side tires are the same as what Goodyear brought to Daytona in July.(Virginian Pilot)(2-5-2009)

More tire testing at Indy planned: 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.” Pemberton said the tire tests could include more than just one driver from each of the four manufacturers. “It could be a little bit more than that, give or take, depending on what Goodyear needs to do their tests,” Pemberton said. “It takes a little more track time to rubber in the surface, and it’s a little bit easier to do with a couple of extra cars.”(SceneDaily)(1-26-2009)

Tire testing at Atlanta over: Encouraged by the results from a two-day Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company test session at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Greg Biffle expects old-time, side-by-side racing will be the rule of the day at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the March 8 Kobalt Tools 500. Biffle, who was testing at the 1.54-mile oval along with #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #77-Sam Hornish Jr. and #82-Scott Speed, believes Goodyear is in the process of developing a tire for Atlanta’s March race that will allow NASCAR’s top drivers to race in any groove, just like “the old Atlanta.”
“I am extremely happy with the tire that Goodyear has brought here to test,” said Biffle, who finished third in the points standings in the 2008 season. “They have a new left-side compound that puts a lot of driveability into the car.” While March 2008’s Kobalt Tools 500 was overshadowed by tire concerns, Biffle believes the new tire will allow Atlanta Motor Speedway to again be one of the most driveable, competitive, and thus entertaining, tracks on NASCAR’s 2009 schedule. “The old tire [in March] lost grip running on the bottom after five to eight laps,” said Biffle, whose best time in the test was a lap of 29.64 seconds (187.045 mph) in a fully-logoed 3M #16. “But this tire really hooks up to the bottom of the track for an extend run and you’re not sliding all over the place. It’s more like the old Atlanta that all of [the drivers] like.” In addition to Biffle’s strong endorsement of the tires used in the Goodyear test, the often outspoken Juan Pablo Montoya also had praise for Goodyear. “I think [Goodyear] has brought a lot of different tire possibilites here and each one is different, but they are all improvements in different ways” said the veteran open-wheel driver who is entering his third full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. “It is encouraging that they are doing what they can to help us and it has been really good. What we are running right now is incredibly fast. When you get here in March with the heat, you will be sliding a lot more. We are just trying to find a tire that is more predictable.” Great seats are still available for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and adult tickets start at just $39. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(1-23-2009)

Tire testing at Atlanta: In preparation for the upcoming Kobalt Tools 500 on March 6-8 at the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is conducting a two-day tire test on Tues-Wed, January 20-21, to ensure the preeminent tire is ready for Atlanta’s Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend. The drivers scheduleed to test: #16-Biffle (Ford), #42-Montoya (Chevy), #77-Hornish Jr. (Dodge) and #82-Speed (Toyota). This session is closed to the public.(AMS PR)(1-17-2009)

Goodyear Tire Test at Phoenix: Several NASCAR teams were represented at Phoenix International Raceway Tuesday as the track hosted a Goodyear tire test to help the tire manufacturer gather data for the 2009 season. #20-Joey Logano represented Toyota, #26-Jamie McMurray drove for Ford, and #1-Martin Truex Jr. tested for Chevrolet. A team representing Dodge was also on site for the test, which was closed to the public.(PIR)(1-14-2009)

Firestone testing stock car tires: Is there a tire war in NASCAR's future? Despite efforts to remain low key, Firestone was discovered testing stock car tires at Homestead-Miami Speedway this past week. A Chip Ganassi Racing ARCA stock car driven by Scott Pruett tested on the road course. But an executive with Firestone said the test was nothing more than that, a test. "It was not a Firestone test and it was not a NASCAR test, it was a technical exercise to try and develop current stock car technology," Al Speyer, executive director of Firestone/Bridgestone motorsports told SpeedTV.com's Robin Miller. "It was a brandless program. There was no name on the tires or the uniforms or even the tire machines. And the car was painted gray," he added. "We were just trying to be as low key as possible." Goodyear is the current sole supplier of tires to NASCAR and has been since 2000. But competitors criticized them several times during the 2008 season especially after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was reduced to 10-12 laps segments due to tire failures. The current contract for Goodyear runs through 2011. "NASCAR did not come to us and ask us to test," said Speyer. "But we're currently talking to a lot of sanctioning bodies, ARCA, USAR and NASCAR and, yes, we're interested in developing a stock car tire. "But we don't have a specific timetable or contract with anybody," he added.(NASCAR Examiner)(12-22-2008)

Tire Testing at Las Vegas UPDATE: there is a Goodyear Tire test scheduled at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on December 10-11, 2008, hearing the drivers to test will be #99-Carl Edwards, #5-Mark Martin, #83-Brian Vickers and #12-David Stremme.(12-4-2008)
UPDATE: #99-Carl Edwards, who won this year's Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will be joined by #5-Mark Martin, #83-Brian Vickers and #12-David Stremme for a two-day Goodyear tire test this Wednesday and Thursday at LVMS. For Martin, it will be a chance to get acquainted with Hendrick Motorsports' #5 Chevrolet, which he will pilot in the 2009 season. Vickers will be in the Red Bull Toyota, and Stremme will be in his new Penske Dodge. Stremme has replaced Ryan Newman in the #12 car for next season. "These two days in Vegas are going to be, quite possibly, the two most important days of our 2009 season," said Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Martin. "With NASCAR's new ‘no testing' rule, we are very fortunate to have been invited by Goodyear to this test. This gives us two extra days on an intermediate track that only three other teams are getting. We need to maximize that time all we can." The race teams and Goodyear will be testing in preparation for the March 1 Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The test will be closed to the public. Tickets are available for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend, more info by calling 1-800-644-4444 or logging on to