Reported Goodyear Tire Tests for the 2010 season:
Atlanta, 1/12-13: #56-Truex Jr. [Toyota], #5-Martin [Chevy], #77-Hornish Jr. [Dodge], #99-Edwards [Ford].
Texas, 1/19-20: #14-Stewart [Chevy], #16-Biffle [Ford], #83-Vickers [Toyota], #2-Busch [Dodge].
Darlington, 3/9: #19-Sadler [Ford]; #33-Bowyer [Chevy] and #47-Ambrose [Toyota]; no Dodge
Talladega, 3/16: approx 24 cars to test spoliers and tires
Charlotte, 3/23-24: open test to test tires and the spoilers, no wings
Indianapolis, 4/20-21: #00-Reutimann. #18-Busch, #82-Speed, #7-Gordon, #13-Papis (Toyota); #9-Kahne, #17- Kenseth, #38-Gilliland (Ford); #12-Keselowski (Dodge); #14-Stewart, #29-Harvick, #42-Montoya, #48-Johnson, #78-Smith (Chevy)
Watkins Glen, 6/1-2: #24-Gordon (Chevy); #31-Burton (Chevy); #47-Ambrose (Toyota)
Atlanta, 6/15-16: #1-McMurray (Chevy), #98-Menard (Ford), #39-Newman (Chevy)
Bristol, 6/22-23: #6-Ragan (Ford), #42-Montoya (Chevy), #11-Hamlin (Toyota), #82-Speed (Toyota)
Talladega, 8/24-25: Justin Allgaier (Dodge), Aric Almirola (Chevy), #20-Logano (Toyota) and #19-Sadler (Ford)
Homestead, 9/13: #88-Earnhardt Jr. (Chevy), #12-Keselowski (Dodge), #20-Logano (Toyota), #43-Allmendinger (Ford)

Cup Series Teams Complete Goodyear Tire Test At Daytona: As sunshine warmed Daytona International Speedway’s new racing surface on Thursday, so did the expectations and excitement levels for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. Thursday marked the second day of a two-day Goodyear tire test in preparation both for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ traditional season-opening event and the track’s new asphalt. The repaving project – only the second in track history and first since 1978 – began immediately after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on July 3 and ended last week. With this week’s test open to all series teams, a number took advantage, filling the frontstretch side of the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage with their haulers.
“I think it has gone really well,” said Jeff Burton (#31 Caterpillar Chevy). “Everybody is happy with the surface. The tire combination seems to be really good.”
“It's just a new attitude,” said Kurt Busch (#22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge). “This is what 2011 will bring to start off our Sprint Cup season. Big, exciting time. I'm proud to be able to say I got a chance to race on the surface when it was redone.”
Busch and Burton, along with reigning Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray (#1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy) and Bobby Labonte (#47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota) all visited the infield media center during Thursday’s lunch break. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III and Goodyear Director of Racing Greg Stucker also participated in the midday press conference.
“Good communication all along between the folks here at Daytona, Joie, Goodyear, the race teams, the series directors, everybody that had input,” Pemberton said. “It's nice to know you can show up at one of these things, have so many different things that we faced and challenges over the last year to get ready for this. Looks like the plan came together nicely.” Burton was heartened that Daytona’s repave – while cutting-edge – respected the venue. He cited the 2007 repave at another historic NASCAR venue, Darlington Raceway, as a positive example.
“It's much smoother, has a tremendous amount more grip, but it's still Daytona,” Burton said. “They didn't try to change the banking from the bottom to the top, do all that stuff. They just kept Daytona and put pavement on it. I'm glad that's what they did.”
Although the focus remains on the racing surface, McMurray noted details like a wider pit road. “They did a really good job, not only on the racetrack, but widening pit road,” he said. “It's really nice to get that little bit of extra room on pit road. Pit road speeds are really fast when you come to [restrictor] plate tracks. Typically we have the smallest brakes on the car that we run all year long, so pit road is also trouble. So the fact they widened that 10 or 12 feet is really nice.”
Media and fan interest also is accelerated. A portion of Daytona’s grandstands was open for public viewing both Wednesday and Thursday and television cameras weren’t the only ones being wielded. “It's real important,” Labonte said of public and media fanfare. “They have a section open for the fans. They can come down here and see us drafting. I'm sure they've got their cameras out showing video to their buddies now on who-knows-where it's all at. It's the first time we've been to the new facility. That's exciting.”
It’s worth noting that this week’s test was confirmation, not a search process. Stucker said a tight calendar meant Goodyear officials did the bulk of their compound research testing at Daytona’s sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, also the only other restrictor-plate track on NASCAR’s three national series’ calendars. Drivers, teams and track and NASCAR officials all draw natural comparisons off Talladega, which was repaved prior to its fall 2006 event. The completion of a test asphalt strip at Daytona allowed Goodyear officials to gather additional data, which Stucker said was compared to August’s test results at Talladega. “We're well into production for the 500,” Stucker said. “In fact, we're just about done. We've come down here and really confirmed that all those decisions we made were the right ones. Very glad to hear that all the guys are comfortable with our setup and really everything we've seen so far has been very good from our perspective, very consistent, a lot of good comments from the drivers.”(NASCAR)
AND 197.5 mph Eighteen drivers from six teams, including Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Juan Pablo Montoya, took part in the test. Some teams brought cars and engines from last season. Others tested their latest and greatest technology, including ethanol-blended fuel. All the teams used a slightly smaller restrictor plate than the one bolted on engines at Daytona last season. The top speed was 197.5 mph, and NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said officials will evaluate testing results before deciding whether to reduce the plate even further. "We may need to come down a little bit off of that, which would be like a 64th of an inch or something," Pemberton said. "We'll have to go back and talk to the teams and we'll look at the speeds from the last two days of testing."(Associated Press)(12-16-2010)

Some Day 1 testing news from Daytona: Statement From NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton About Goodyear Tire Test At Daytona International Speedway: “It was a very good day. The teams came well-prepared. Goodyear came well-prepared. The racetrack has a lot of grip. The surface is very smooth. It appears in drafting practice that they immediately went three-wide.”(NASCAR)
AND Mark Martin awarded high marks to all parties after Day One of a Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway today. Speaking to Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody, Martin said, “I think we ran six laps without even wearing the sticker off the left front tire. In fact, we could probably run the full 500 miles on the same set of tires. There will be zero tire issues during Speedweeks. The track is smooth, its fast and it's not wearing the tires at all. The grip is obscene, and I’m sure the guys from Goodyear are probably having a party tonight.” Martin also offered his prediction for the upcoming Daytona 500, saying, “The race is going to be crazy. Everybody better start getting ready right now.” Sources say speeds were in the neighborhood of 195 mph, with three-wide (and some four-wide) racing common. "we ran three-wide quite a bit," said Martin, "and toward the end, we got a little braver and tried four-wide. That's not going to work for very long before someone gets into the side of the guy next to him and causes a wreck." Only one major incident slowed the day's test, when David Ragan crashed his Roush-Fenway Racing UPS Ford. (Sirius Speedway)
IMAGES: see some images from Day 1 of testing by Motorsports Images and Archives on my December 2010 Daytona Testing page.(12-15-2010)

Teams, drivers lined up for Daytona test TODAY: The Goodyear tire test scheduled for next week at the repaved Daytona International Speedway is an important one for data gathering but not so important that all teams will attend to help the tire manufacturer confirm which tire would perform best for the Daytona 500. Plans for teams and drivers can still change before the Dec. 15-16 test on the new surface, but tentatively only four drivers from this year's Chase For The Sprint Cup- #24-Jeff Gordon #22-Kurt Busch, #31-Jeff Burton and #17-Matt Kenseth - say they plan on participating. Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Front Row Motorsports and Robby Gordon Motorsports are not planning on attending the test, which had been tentatively scheduled for Dec. 7-8. NASCAR will have an open test for all teams Jan. 20-22, and all teams are expected to attend that session. For some teams the test will be vital. Penske Racing drivers #22-Kurt Busch and #2-Brad Keselowski will get their first chance to be on a restrictor-plate track with the new Dodge nose. All three 2010 winless Hendrick Motorsports drivers - #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #24-Jeff Gordon and #5-Mark Martin will be there - to gather data and be with their new crew chiefs as well. Five-time defending Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson will not attend. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will be there with #1-Jamie McMurray and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, while Kenseth and #6-David Ragan will represent Roush Fenway Racing. Burton and #27-Paul Menard will be there for Richard Childress Racing. Other drivers expected to attend are #47-Bobby Labonte (JTG Daugherty Racing), #83-Reed Sorenson (Red Bull Racing), #78-Regan Smith (Furniture Row Racing), #21-Trevor Bayne (Wood Brothers Racing), #13-Casey Mears (Germain Racing), #64-Todd Bodine (Gunselman Motorsports) and #92-Brian Keselowski (K-Automotive Motorsports).(Scene Daily)(12-8-2010)
AND no word if any speeds will be reported but the Goodyear tire test will be open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office. And on Thursday at 12noon/et a press conference will be streamed live on daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(12-15-2010)

December Daytona Tire Test Set: Daytona International Speedway has confirmed with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company officials a December test on Daytona's newly-paved surface. "The latest communication we got from Joie Chitwood at Daytona to our general manager, Stu Grant, was that we'd be set to go on Dec. 15 and 16," Rick Campbell, Goodyear NASCAR project manager, said Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "It'll be a two-day test and we're in the process of getting the teams notified to make sure they know how it's going to work and what the ground rules are." Goodyear originally had requested to have the test the first week of December but was informed the track wouldn't be ready. Campbell acknowledged that moving the test closer to Christmas might impact teams' ability to participate, but Goodyear was still optimistic. "The later we get, the more of a struggle it'll be to get teams there, because their people have vacation plans and we understand that completely," Campbell said. "We're hoping to get 15 or 20 cars there -- if we don't, we'll do the best we can with what we get."(NASCAR.com)(11-20-2010)
UPDATE: In what will be one of the most anticipated test sessions in the history of the “World Center of Racing,” Daytona International Speedway and Goodyear officials have finalized the dates of Dec. 15-16 for a tire test on the new racing surface. The test will be the first time race cars will turn laps on the new asphalt of Daytona International Speedway, which was repaved for only the second time in its history. Drivers who will participate in the test will be announced at a later date. The Goodyear tire test will open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office. On July 5, Lane Construction began the historic repaving project and used an estimated 50,000 tons of asphalt to repave more than 1.4 million square feet of Daytona International Speedway with a target completion date of Jan. 1, 2011. Two test sessions have already been scheduled for January – the Roar Before The Rolex 24 on Jan. 7-9 and NASCAR Preseason Thunder with the Sprint Cup Series tams on Jan. 20-22. For tickets and more information on Daytona International Speedway events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP (DIS)(11-21-2010)

Goodyear 'Support Our Troops' initiative raised $100,463: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the exclusive tire supplier of NASCAR's three major national series, announced that The Goodyear 'Support Our Troops' initiative raised $100,463 for the nonprofit organization, Support Our Troops. The Company kicked off the fundraising effort around the July 4th holiday weekend races in Daytona Beach, Florida. Every Goodyear Eagle racing tire was transformed to feature a red, white and blue color scheme reading "Support Our Troops" on the tires' sidewalls. The new scheme was designed to help say 'thank you' to the members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. All funds raised are being donated to Support Our Troops, a nonpartisan, nonpolitical organization founded to directly help citizens and community-minded businesses find constructive ways to benefit and support American troops (PRNewswire)(11-16-2010)

Tire test may still happen at Daytona in December: Goodyear has scrapped its original plans for a Daytona tire test Dec. 7-8 and is considering moving the session to the 13th and 14th instead. Goodyear product manager Rick Heinrich said the track hasn’t “progressed to the point that it’s ready for the first date we required.” Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood has scheduled a meeting with Goodyear officials next week in Miami. Chitwood said when the original test dates were announced by Goodyear, he reiterated “quite clearly that there was no way to forecast” an actual date of completion. According to Chitwood, the pit lane isn’t paved completely and the SAFER barrier and fencing must be installed before the cars are cleared to run. “I will meet with my engineers," Chitwood said, "and at that point I will know how early I can get cars on the track. There’s still stuff to do. Once we give a date, then we’ll have to live up to it.” Heinrich doesn’t anticipate the later dates will be a problem even though NASCAR has mandated that no test drivers can be used for the tire test. “The feedback that we’ve gotten from the teams is there’s still a lot of interest in the test,” Heinrich said.(FoxSports)(11-14-2010)

Goodyear investigating tearing of tires at ACS: Goodyear is working with about dozen teams to figure out why the left-front tire was tearing at the beginning of runs during Sprint Cup practice Saturday at Auto Club Speedway. The issue seemed isolated to about a dozen teams and most of the top teams were not affected, Goodyear Product Manager Rick Heinrich said Saturday after the final Cup practice. It is not a heat issue, and because teams either have the issue or they don’t, Goodyear doesn’t believe the problem would be from a bad batch. The tearing, which occurred on the shoulder of the tire, does not look good but did not result in any air loss or handling issues, Heinrich said. Teams noticed the problem when they looked at the tires after they came off the track. “The damage is isolated to the rubber on the shoulder along the radius. The rubber there is fairly thick. It’s definitely undesirable. I’m not sure you would know it until you came in, but naturally we’re going to run more laps tomorrow.” It is the same tire that teams ran last week at Kansas Speedway.(SceneDaily)(10-10-2010)

January testing back at Daytona? UPDATE: hearing that the Sprint Cup Series will test the new pavement at Daytona International Speedway in January, likely in mid to late January 2011. Supposedly all Sprint Cup teams will be allowed to test. DIS is currently in week 9 of repaving the 2 1/2 mile track.(9-3-2010)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup teams have been told that the tentative dates for a test on the new Daytona International Speedway pavement will be Jan. 17-19. NASCAR has not announced when the test would be, but several team officials confirmed the date. Daytona International Speedway is going through its first repaving since prior to the 1979 season and when track officials announced they would repave the track, NASCAR officials said they expected to have a major test. Goodyear officials hope to get a few Cup cars on the track in the weeks prior to the test but have been told not to plan to get on the track before Jan. 1. They have gotten a strip of asphalt from the temporary plant at the Daytona track to examine to determine the traction of the new surface. They hope to have a good idea of what tire will be used in November (SceneDaily)(9-5-2010)

Tire testing at Homestead in Sept: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevy), #12-Brad Keselowski (Dodge), #20-Joey Logano (Toyota) and #43-A.J. Allmendinger (Ford) are scheduled to conduct a Goodyear tire test on Monday, September 13th in advance of NASCAR’s series-crowning Ford Championship Weekend, Nov. 19-21, at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS). No word if fans can attend or view the test.(9-2-2010)

Goodyear tire test at Talladega on open to the public: Talladega Superspeedway officials announced that the Goodyear Tire Test on August 24 will be open to the public. Drivers scheduled to participate are Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, #20-Joey Logano and #19-Elliott Sadler. Parking lots open at 8:30 with the test officially kicking off at 9 am. The event is free to the public and food and beverages will be permitted.(TSS)(8-12-2010)

Tire test at Bristol: UPDATE: NASCAR drivers #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #11-Denny Hamlin, #82-Scott Speed and #6-David Ragan participated in a Goodyear tire test Tuesday at Bristol Motor Speedway in preparation for the August NASCAR Sprint Cup Series IRWIN Tools Night Race.(BMS)(6-30-2010)
UPDATE: Goodyear had a tire test earlier this week at Bristol Motor Speedway and has more testing planned later this year elsewhere. Greg Stucker, director of Goodyear race tire sales, said that the tire test was held after seeing signs of stress on the right front tire by teams during the spring race at Bristol. Stucker said they're looking at using a tire similar to that used at bigger tracks because of the high speeds and banking in the corners at Bristol. Stucker also said Goodyear has a tire test scheduled Aug. 24-25 at Talladega Superspeedway. That's to prepare for Daytona International Speedway. Daytona will be repaved after Saturday night's race but the work is not expected to be done until the end of the year. The compound in the asphalt to be used at Daytona is to be similar to Talladega, so by testing at Talladega, Goodyear can have a tire ready for a January test session at Daytona.(Roanoke Times)(7-3-2010)

Goodyear Tires to 'Support Our Troops' UPDATE: been told that Goodyear will have special tires for the NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway this Saturday. With the Goodyear logo and "Support Our Troops" in red-white-blue. See an image below or a larger images on my Tire News and Testing page.(6-28/29-2010)
UPDATE: For the first time in its history, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the exclusive tire supplier of NASCAR's three major national series, has announced it will transform all Goodyear Racing Eagle tires for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races over the July 4th holiday weekend. The new design, featuring a patriotic red, white and blue color scheme reading "Support Our Troops" on the tires' sidewalls, is designed to say 'thank you' to the service men and women of the United States Armed Forces and launch the Goodyear Support Our Troops program. The Company will help jump-start this new support and fundraising effort with a $20,000 donation to a leading military support program. The Goodyear Support Our Troops program will also provide consumers a variety of ways to show their support for the troops and will encourage everyone to participate in a series of fund-raising initiatives to benefit members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. The rebranded Goodyear Support Our Troops tires will raise awareness for the support effort and will also serve as the first step in the fund-raising campaign, as Goodyear will auction the special logo'd, driver-autographed tires used in the July 3rd Coke Zero 400. All funds raised will be donated to Support Our Troops, a nonprofit nationwide organization which bolsters the morale and well-being of America's troops and their families. Funds raised through the Goodyear effort will benefit the highly effective programs, which deliver more than $8 million per year in care packs and requested items to the front lines, positive support at home, kids' camp assistance and more. The Goodyear Support Our Troops Charity Auction, held online at www.Goodyear.com, will begin when the green flag drops on July 3rd and will run through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 17th.(Goodyear PR)(7-1-2010)

Goodyear Tire Test at Atlanta Motor Speedway Ends: During day two of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, #39-Ryan Newman and #1-Jamie McMurray conveyed to the media that the test provides a competitive advantage approaching the track's Labor Day NASCAR night racing weekend as the drivers vie for vital points entering the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Newman and McMurray each believes the test provides an advantage. "You're really fortunate when you get to do the tire test and that's why teams fight to get to come here and do this, because you get an hour or two each day to do what you want to do and try and make your car faster," said McMurray. Newman, tied for the track's pole record with seven, knows Atlanta's race date two-events prior to the cutoff for the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup makes the event critical to secure a position in the Chase. "Where we are at in points and where this race lies in the schedule, it is definitely advantageous for us to be here," said Newman. "We're trying to make the best of this Goodyear tire test to get the US Army Chevrolet in that Chase." In addition to the commenting on the personal benefits of the test while meeting with media members, each driver also praised Goodyear for the quality of the tires under evaluation. Speeds have been impressive during the test, with McMurray approaching qualifying-lap speeds during tire testing. The biggest Labor Day party in the USA is at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, as the NASCAR Sprint Cup stars head to the high banks for night racing on Sept. 4 and 5. For more information or to purchase tickets for the Labor Day weekedn races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, call (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(6-17-2010)

Goodyear Tire Test at Atlanta Motor Speedway Underway: With circuits still being turned at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the first hours of a two-day Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company tire test resulted in praise by three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers as Goodyear prepares the ultimate tire for the Speedway’s Labor Day NASCAR night racing weekend. #1-Jamie McMurray, #98-Paul Menard and #39-Ryan Newman are assisting Goodyear with the test and each offered positive comments on the tire and day one of the test. The drivers were unanimous in exclaiming the tire used in March’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was among the best-ever raced at the track in recent years. However, tire temperatures remained a concern during that race. While day one of a Goodyear test can be revealing, Newman explained that much of the day was spent setting base conditions for further examination during the test’s second day. Testing will continue through 10:00pm/et Tuesday night and is scheduled to continue on Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event is closed to the public. The biggest Labor Day party in the USA is at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, as the NASCAR Sprint Cup stars head to the high banks for night racing on Sept. 4 and 5. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(Atlanta Motor Speedway)(6-15-2010)

Tire testing at Watkins Glen: #24-Jeff Gordon, #31-Jeff Burton and #47-Marcos Ambrose, tested tires for Goodyear on Tuesday at Watkins Glen International. Gordon said he put in about 50 laps Tuesday. He appreciated the upgrades put in place partly in response to last August's Sprint Cup race in which cars crashed into the guardrail at the exit of Turn 9 and ricocheted back onto the track. The biggest one involved Gordon, Sam Hornish, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and others, causing nearly a 20-minute red-flag delay as NASCAR officials cleaned up the mess. The Glen paved runoff areas in Turns 9, 10, 11 and the Inner Loop, and it installed Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barriers in Turn 11 and the Inner Loop. Gordon, Burton and Ambrose will continue testing at the Glen on Wednesday.(Elmira Star Gazette)(6-2-2010)

Daytona repaving gives Goodyear tight timeline: Daytona International Speedway is repaving the 2.5-mile super-speedway for the first time since 1978. While work will begin following the Coke Zero 400 in July, track officials don't expect the asphalt to be ready for testing until Jan. 1. That's more than a month before NASCAR teams return for Speedweeks and it may not leave Goodyear ample time to perfect a tire for the Daytona 500. NASCAR officials informed Goodyear of an open Daytona test scheduled for mid-January (rumored to be Jan. 15th but denied by top brass from the sanctioning body). Goodyear traditionally begins manufacturing tires in October for Speedweeks with the usual run of 6,000 units. With a test involved, as is anticipated given a completely green and unknown track surface, Goodyear would likely up the tire inventory to 8,000 tires for all the Daytona events - the Budweiser Shootout, Gatorade Duels, Camping World Truck race, Nationwide Series race and the 500 (and practices for all those events). Originally, Stu Grant of Goodyear had hoped to start the testing process no later than Nov. 1, using the current Daytona tires as the control tires and build a data base. Should Goodyear not have time for a tire test prior to January, the Daytona open test sessions would become the tire test. Lane Contruction recently repaved Talladega using the same asphalt compound for Daytona, so Grant says Goodyear would now use the Talladega tire as the control tire. Goodyear has received pavement samples from Lane but if testing is not an option, the tires will have to be developed by engineers in the lab instead of on the track. The selection process begins with a control tire and usually requires four to six weeks to assemble the materials, then build and cure the tires. Even if Goodyear could test a tire on Jan. 1, teams would not have track-tested tires for a full Cup Series test on Jan. 15. Although it would be a push, teams could have the new tires for the opening day of Speedweeks on Feb. 9(Fox Sports)(5-9-2010)

Goodyear completes Indy tire test: A total of 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup teams descended on Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week to perform a tire test for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The two-day test, held Tuesday and Wednesday, saw teams run more than 2,000 laps as they gathered the data that the Goodyear engineers will use to determine the tire recommendation for this year's Brickyard 400, to be held at the Speedway on July 25. While Goodyear tested several new set-ups, the early opinion is that the tire manufacturer will return in 2010 with the same, or very similar, combination to that run successfully at the Speedway in 2009. “We still have to review the results and go over the data in detail before our decision is finalized, but we found our control tire set-up, which was the 2009 race tire, still performs very well and is a very comfortable package,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of race tire sales. “We saw some definite improvements with various elements of the development tires we evaluated during the test, but we didn’t have clear consensus from the drivers on which change would be a sure improvement over the control. It’s important to maintain the proper balance with the overall race package for all the cars in the field."
“We had nearly perfect weather conditions, with temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s and a lot of sunshine,” said Stucker “The track really rubbered in well, and we seemed to pick up right where we left off last year. The change from the wing to the spoiler on the Cup cars didn’t seem to significantly change the way the tires performed on the track.” The 14 teams had a busy week leading up to the test. Sunday’s scheduled race was delayed until Monday due to rain in Texas, compacting everyone’s schedule and making it tougher to pull together.
Participating in the test were #00-David Reutimann, #7-Robby Gordon, #9-Kasey Kahne, #12-Brad Keselowski, #13-Max Papis), #14-Tony Stewart, #17-Matt Kenseth, #18-Kyle Busch, #29-Kevin Harvick, #38-David Gilliland, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #78-Regan Smith and #82-Scott Speed. Johnson, Kenseth, Montoya and Stewart served as the primary test drivers, with the balance of the field on hand to help replicate race conditions and rubber in the track. “We really need to thank the 14 teams that came out to help us with this test,” added Stucker. “With last week’s race at Texas being pushed back a day, it was a real scramble for everyone to get to Indy by the time we opened up on Tuesday morning. It goes to show you the hard work and dedication of these teams.”
Goodyear will continue with a busy testing schedule in the coming months, having on-track sessions scheduled for Watkins Glen International (June 1-2), Atlanta Motor Speedway (June 15-16) and Bristol Motor Speedway (June 22-23).(Goodyear PR)(4-22-2010)

Tire testing at Indy, 14 teams to test UPDATE: there is a two-day Goodyear Tire test scheduled at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday & Wednesday, April 20-21, 2010. Teams scheduled to test: #14-Stewart, #48-Johnson, #29-Harvick, #78-Smirh, #42-Montoya (Chevy's); #17-Kenseth, #9-Kahne, #38-Conway (Ford's); #12-Keselowski (Dodge); #18-Busch, #13-Papis, #00-Reutimann, #7-Gordon & #82-Speed (Toyota)(4-19/20-2010)
UPDATE: Fourteen NASCAR Sprint Cup teams tested Tuesday, April 20 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, preparing for the 17th annual Brickyard 400. Teams from each Sprint Cup manufacturer were on hand to rubber in the track and test different configurations with Goodyear tires and the new NASCAR-mandated spoiler that will be used during the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 25. The private testing continues on Wednesday, April 21. "It's a little bit different feel," Kyle Busch said of the new spoiler and tire combination. "I'm never really good here. This is a place I struggle at. We're trying to get better and find something that really works for us. Right now, the tires are good." Despite his self-proclaimed struggles, Busch expects the 2010 Brickyard 400 to feature the same strong competition as past years despite the new spoiler. "To me, it's not much different than what we had here last year with the wing, so we're working on just trying to get a better balance for me," Busch said. Two-time Brickyard 400 winner Tony Stewart also was optimistic about the new spoiler and tire combination. "The spoiler is a little bit of a balance change," Stewart said. "It's not going to be a huge deal on the Goodyear side. It's more for the team side of finding the balance and what they have to do." And even with so many career starts at IMS and two Brickyard 400 victories, Stewart still loves to race at Indianapolis. "Oh, God, yeah," Stewart said. "It's a part of my life."(IMS Site)(4-20-2010)
UPDATE: The test is scheduled to end Wednesday. There is no charge to attend, but spectators are restricted to the south end of the property near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Lap times will not be released, Speedway officials said.(Indianapolis Star)(4-20-2010)

Tire tests at Indy and Bristol: The tire Goodyear used at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be getting a second look – for races at Indianapolis as well as Bristol. Goodyear will test at both tracks prior to the next NASCAR events at the two facilities. The Indianapolis test will feature 12-13 teams and is scheduled for April 20-21, said Goodyear NASCAR program manager Greg Stucker. Drivers already confirmed for that test are #00-David Reutimann, #18-Kyle Busch and #82-Scott Speed (Toyota); #9-Kasey Kahne and #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford); #12-Brad Keselowski (Dodge); and #14-Tony Stewart, #29-Kevin Harvick, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #78-Regan Smith (Chevy). Virtually every racing organization has been invited to send a representative to the test, compared with the typical four invitations that go out for other tire tests. Stucker said he didn’t anticipate a major change to the Indy tire. The tire that was used at Indy last year worked well enough that Goodyear thought that it would make a good combination for Bristol. Goodyear had the Truck Series and Nationwide Series use the tire last August and then opted for the Cup drivers to use it last weekend. But the tire did not perform as well as anticipated and too many teams had heat issues in their right fronts, Stucker said. Goodyear likely will go to Bristol in June and also will go to Atlanta as well. Stucker said he didn’t expect to have a test at Daytona.(SceneDaily)(3-28-2010)

see Charlotte testing links and speeds on my 2010 Testing page.

Spoiler/Tire test news from Talladega: Twenty-four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams assembled Tuesday at Talladega Superspeedway in an R&D test session that was used to confirm that the gear ratio was compatible with the restrictor plate size for next month’s running of the Aaron’s 499. The cars ran with the spoiler on the rear of the cars, as NASCAR announced in January that it was going to transition from the wing to the traditional spoiler sometime during the first quarter of this season. Teams started the day with a 1 1/32-inch sized restrictor plate. For the majority of the morning session, the teams participated in single-car runs over the 2.66-mile superspeedway. However, five cars hooked up for some drafting shortly before the lunch break and the speeds picked up a bit, with #48-Jimmie Johnson putting up the quickest speed of 196.467 mph. Teams began drafting in earnest after lunch. The plate size went down to 31/32” and the teams adjusted the size of their rear spoilers in order to find that happy medium between high speeds and handling. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition, was pleased with how the adjustments went during the afternoon practice. “We saw that the closure rates were a little too quick in the initial drafting session after lunch,” said Pemberton. “So, we had the teams make some adjustments, including going down on the plate size and trimming the spoiler back some. We believe we came away here today with a good starting point and are looking forward to coming back here next month with a great race.” More than 1,500 fans participated in a Fan Q&A session during the lunch break. Sitting in the track’s newly renovated grandstands on the frontstretch, the fans heard from drivers #2-Kurt Busch and #31-Jeff Burton, along with NASCAR Managing Director of Competition John Darby. Some of the fans were seen waiting in line outside the gates as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday. NASCAR also has a test planned next week – March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to test the spoiler on a 1.5-mile race track.(NASCAR)(3-16-2010)

More about spoiler testing at Talladega TODAY: Cup Series teams will assemble on Tuesday, March 16 for an important early-season test at Talladega Superspeedway. Approximately 24 teams are expected to participate in the one-day session, which will target a number of mechanical options in advance of the Aaron's 499 on April 25 at Talladega. Cup officials will analyze the data gleaned -- along with teams' input -- and later make several decisions for the Aaron's 499. Teams also will test spoilers, which will replace the current wings on the backs of cars. No timetable has been set for the wing-to-spoiler move. "It's a confirmation test for restrictor plates and gearing, and an opportunity for teams to work on their handling packages as we transition to the spoiler," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. Rule changes, announced on Jan. 21, are the impetus behind the test. Cup Series teams used larger carburetor restrictor-plate openings in the 2010 Daytona 500 and larger plate openings are expected for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. At 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR mandated openings of 63/64-inch -- the largest since the one-inch mandate in 1988, the first year the horsepower-reducing plates were used in Cup competition at Daytona. Each plate contains four openings, which restrict air flow to the engine, thus slowing stock cars. Larger openings mean more air, and more horsepower. The switch from wing to spoiler also was a rule change. The wing replaced the traditional stock-car spoiler on NASCAR's new car, now in its third full-time season. Returning to the spoiler means on-track testing, and another series test -- Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway -- will be devoted solely to spoiler work. Both the Charlotte and Talladega tests are exceptions to the current testing policy. For the second consecutive season, Cup, Nationwide and Truck teams may not test at facilities that host national-series events. This year, teams may test at tracks that host regional touring series events, but not national series events. Tuesday's Talladega session begins at 10:00am and runs until 6:00pm with an hour lunch break. Fans are welcome to attend, with free admission. The track's Gadsden and Lincoln grandstands will be open, with parking lots behind those grandstands opening at 9:30am. Grandstand gates open at 9:45 am. See some nice images of the spoiler at Joe Gibbs Racing's site.(3-16-2010)

Spoiler test at Talladega on Tuesday: TODAY: Sprint Cup Series teams will assemble on Tuesday, March 16 for an important early-season test at Talladega Superspeedway. Approximately 24 teams are expected to participate in the one-day session, which will target a number of mechanical options in advance of the Aaron's 499 on Sunday, April 25 at Talladega. NASCAR Sprint Cup officials will analyze the data gleaned - along with teams' input - and later make several key decisions for the Aaron's 499. Teams also will test spoilers, which will replace the current wings on the backs of cars. No timetable has been set for the wing-to-spoiler move. Rule changes, announced on Jan. 21, are the impetus behind the test. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams used larger carburetor restrictor-plate openings in the 2010 Daytona 500 and larger plate openings are expected for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. The switch from wing to spoiler also was a rule change. The wing replaced the traditional stock-car spoiler on NASCAR's new car, now in its third fulltime season. Returning to the spoiler means on-track testing, and another series test - Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway - will be devoted solely to spoiler work. Both the Charlotte and Talladega tests are exceptions to the current testing policy. Next Tuesday's Talladega session begins at 9 a.m. CT and runs until 5 p.m. CT with a noon-1 p.m. lunch break. Fans are welcome to attend, with free admission. The track's Gadsden and Lincoln grandstands only will be open, with parking lots behind those grandstands opening at 8:30 a.m. Grandstand gates open at 8:45 a.m. Grandstands close at 5:15 p.m.(NASCAR PR)
According to the Talladega Speedway Facebook page , the following teams are currently confirmed for the test (some teams may use test drivers): #00-Reutimann, #5-Martin, #11-Hamlin, #14-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, #18-Gilliland [testing for Busch], #20-Logano, #24-Gordon, #29-Harvick, #31-Burton, #39-Newman, #48-Johnson, #56-Truex, Jr., #66-Blaney, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., and a Roush R&D team.(3-12-2010)
UDPATE: NASCAR will use restrictor plates with larger holes than they have used in the past at Talladega Superspeedway Tuesday as its Sprint Cup teams test the new spoiler that is expected to replace the rear wing in a few weeks. The test will not only help teams figure out setups for the new spoiler but help NASCAR evaluate which restrictor plate to use with the new configuration. The test Tuesday is the first open test for Sprint Cup teams with the spoiler, and they likely will start with a restrictor plate with holes of 1-1/32 inches (66/64ths) - 7/64ths of an inch more than the plates used last October and 3/64ths larger than the plate used for this year's Daytona 500. The spoiler is expected to replace the wing starting with the March 28 race at Martinsville Speedway, although NASCAR has not announced a firm start date yet. The spoiler will definitely be in use, however, for the April 25 race at Talladega. Most teams are expected to attend the test. But not all teams are going as Richard Petty Motorsports is only sending Paul Menard and Roush Fenway Racing is only sending Matt Kenseth and David Ragan. Teams will fabricate their own spoilers for the test, but NASCAR will end up issuing teams the spoilers for the races. Richardson Racing Products will be making the spoilers and they should be ready for the March 23-24 test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darby said. In addition to replacing the wing with the spoiler, the rear quarter panel of the cars will be extended by four inches from the front edge, leaving only seven inches instead of 11 between the ground and the front edge of the rear quarter panel.(Scene Daily)(3-16-2010)

Three cars at the Goodyear Tire test, running a spoiler. Darlington Raceway on March 9, 2010
All images courtesy of Jeff Wackerlin of Motor Racing Network.(3-9-2010)

Goodyear finding success with different tire compounds: This time two years ago, [Goodyear's global manager of race tires 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)(3-13-2010)

Tire testing at Darlington with spoiler: Darlington Raceway was the latest site for a Goodyear tire test on Tuesday [March 9th]. A total of five teams were on-hand to test tires at the legendary South Carolina track. #33-Clint Bowyer (Chevy), #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) and #19-Elliott Sadler (Ford0 all tested their respective Sprint Cup Series rides while Aric Almirola and Timothy Peters tested their Camping World Truck Series vehicles in preparation for the series’ return to Darlington on August 14, 2010. No speeds or incidents were reported. Tickets are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com.(see full story and quotes at the Darlington Raceway site)(3-10-2010)

Goodyear on hot seat again over tire issues: UPDATE: 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)(3-8-2010)
UPDATE: 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 what tire to bring to the Southern 500 in May. Sadler said those racers bothered by tire compounds should instead look to their raceshops for better setups designed to minimize tire wear and maximize the rubber. Sadler acknowledged the complaints of some teams. "I know Denny Hamlin had one, he had a fast race car," Sadler said. "But he ran over something. To me, that's not a tire issue." Bowyer had more praise for Goodyear. He thought the tire brought to the California race last month showed vast improvement over what they've raced on there in the past. At Atlanta, "we were just as much to blame as them. Everybody was searching around for" the best air pressure levels.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(3-9-201)

Tires a question mark?: 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)(3-6-2010)

Tire changes at Auto Club UPDATE: Goodyear pulled 10 right side tires as a precautionary measure after discovering unusual wear following qualifying on Friday. Although the same tire code (4386) was used successfully at Las Vegas and Charlotte Motor Speedway in the past, tire specialists found thin thread in "small, localized areas" according to Stu Grant, general manager of global racing tires. "We decided to pull those tire (sequences) from the system," Grant added. "We'll give them a tire that doesn't have the same shearogrophy image." Goodyear elected to review the data from previous right side builds and sent the tires in question back to its headquarters in Akron, Ohio, to examine the shearography image which uses non-destructive lasers to measure and detect defects to the tire. Goodyear will re-evaluate the tires following practice on Saturday to determine whether any further action needs to be taken.(FoxSports)(2-20-2010)
UPDATE: 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)(2-21-2010)

Tire test at Darlington in March: The following teams are scheduled to be participating in a Goodyear Tire Test at Darlington Raceway on Tuesday, March 9: #19-Elliott Sadler (Ford); #33-Clint Bowyer (Chevy) and #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) - no Dodge's listed. Two Camping World Truck Series teams are TBA.(Darlington Raceway)(2-20-2010)

NASCAR talks to teams about Talladega and tire tests: NASCAR officials met with team principals on Tuesday to discuss upcoming initiative for the new season. One subject discussed was the possibility of a one-day test at Talladega before the Charlotte open test on March 23-24. Sprint Cup Series director John Darby confirmed that NASCAR is looking for a date. The one-day session at the superspeedway will help determine which restrictor plate will be used at the track and will allow teams to use spoilers instead of a rear wing. Other topics on the table included moving the fuel hole forward on the cars to accommodate the spoiler and shrinking the number of Goodyear test participants to three teams per test once again. Roush Fenway Racing crashed the three-car testing policy in Darlington in 2007 during the Car of Tomorrow rollout, prompting Goodyear to change their rules and invite representatives from each manufacturer. Now with Penske Racing providing the only Dodges in the garage, the sentiment from the competition is that the team's camp would have an unfair advantage.(Fox Sports)(1-29-2010)
UPDATE: Plans are to test the vehicle March 16 at Talladega Superspeedway, according to a series spokesman. That test would be in addition to a two-day open session scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and would be to specifically examine the spoiler's performance on a restrictor-plate track.(NASCAR.com)(1-29-2010)

Drivers conduct 1st test with new spoiler at Texas: #14-Tony Stewart, #2-Kurt Busch, #16-Greg Biffle and #83-Brian Vickers became the first drivers to conduct an on-track test with a new aluminum spoiler package that could be implemented for the 2010 season during Tuesday’s Goodyear Tire test at Texas Motor Speedway (see images of the cars here). Stewart was the first of the group to test the spoiler in the morning session, which was delayed nearly two hours from its 9:00am/ct start time due to moisture on the 1.5-mile, high-banked oval from heavy morning dew. The session kicked off at approximately 10:53am/ct with temperatures in the 60s as Stewart rolled out with the wing and less than 40 minutes later was utilizing the spoiler. Vickers also got an opportunity to run the spoiler in the abbreviated morning session.
“It (the spoiler) was on a bunch. It didn’t seem to be a big balance change which was good,” Stewart said. “That means you won’t have to invent the wheel necessarily. It was a balance shift, but it wasn’t a big balance shift. You’ve got two kinds of grip – you’ve got aero grip and you’ve got mechanical grip. The spoiler is the aero grip and the tires are mechanical. The mechanical grip is real important because it doesn’t know if you are running first in line or 10th in line. I’m more of a mechanical guy.”
“I thought it (spoiler) was good,” Vickers said. “I thought it added a little bit of front downforce, which is a good thing. I think it’s going to be more accepted to the fans. It looks cooler – a little more retro back to the older car. We haven’t been in a lot of traffic yet, so the big question is how it’s going to handle in traffic. Theoretically, from what I’ve been told, the difference between the two is that the spoiler is better in traffic. The spoiler is going to be more efficient in dirty air and a wing will be more efficient in clean air. Once you get in a lot of turbulence, the spoiler’s not going to lose a lot of efficiency while a wing really will.”
NASCAR has not determined the specific dimensions as yet for the spoiler, but the one that was being used as a baseline at Tuesday’s session was 64.5 inches wide and four inches in height with no contour in the design. Also, the rear quarter panels were extended four inches toward the ground. NASCAR phased out the traditional spoiler on the rear deck lid of the Sprint Cup Series cars and went to a rear wing when the “Car of Tomorrow” project was unveiled in 2007. The return to the traditional look provides fans with the ability to differentiate between the four manufacturers more easily and hopefully enhance the passing ability of the cars and overall race action. Tuesday’s tire test was the first opportunity for drivers to test the package and provide feedback on its effects on the car. Biffle and Busch had to wait until the afternoon session to test out the spoiler, with Busch not getting an opportunity until nearly the culmination of the session.
Stewart, Busch, Biffle and Vickers will conclude the Goodyear test Wednesday, where they are scheduled to test the spoiler package once again. NASCAR will conduct another test with the spoiler March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – another 1.5- mile oval and sister track to TMS – that will be open to all Sprint Cup teams. If NASCAR is pleased with the progress and performance of the spoiler, the new package could be implemented for the Samsung Mobile 500 scheduled for April 15-18 at Texas Motor Speedway. Following Tuesday’s test session, Stewart, Busch, Biffle and Vickers graciously volunteered their time to participate in the “Gear Up For The Green Flag” fan event in the Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club. A full house of more than 500 season ticket holders and special guests were on hand for a dinner, giveaways and a question-andanswer session with the drivers to officially kick off the upcoming racing season. “This was truly a special treat for our fans and the thanks goes to Tony, Kurt, Greg and Brian for making the time to be part of this event,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “We had a ton of laughs and shared some entertaining stories to make for a great evening.” Tickets for the Samsung Mobile 500/O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 NASCAR doubleheader weekend are available by calling (817) 215-8500 or by visiting the speedway’s website at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.(TMS)(1-20-2010)

Goodyear Tire Testing at Texas.....with spoiler: NASCAR drivers headed to Texas Motor Speedway [Jan 19-20th] for a Goodyear tire test Tuesday and Wednesday will test with the new spoiler on the back of their cars, according to NASCAR officials. It will be the first on-track test with a group of drivers. Since its debut in 2007 when it was used in a handful of events, the new car has featured a wing instead of a spoiler on the rear deck lid. Drivers scheduled to participate in the two-day tire test include owner/driver #14-Tony Stewart (Chevy), #2-Kurt Busch (Dodge), #16-Greg Biffle (Ford) and #83-Brian Vickers (Toyota). NASCAR informed teams of the move away from the wing Jan. 15 (see more on my NASCAR News page about the change). A test session for all teams has already been scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(SceneDaily)(1-18-2010)

Johnson named Driver of the Year by NMPA: #48-Jimmie Johnson was named the National Motorsports Press Association Richard Petty Driver of the Year on Sunday night at the NMPA annual convention.(ESPN)(1-18-2010)

Goodyear Tire Test Concludes at Atlanta Motor Speedway: 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 – #99-Carl Edwards (Ford), #77-Sam Hornish, Jr. (Dodge), #5-Mark Martin (Chevy) and #56-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)(1-13-2010)

Tire test at Goodyear begins at Atlanta, the wing? Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 2010 NASCAR season kicked off at 9:31 am/et on Tuesday when #5-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, #99-Carl Edwards, #77-Sam Hornish, Jr., and #56-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)
AND 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)(1-13-2010)

Goodyear Tire Test 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 #99-Carl Edwards (Ford), #77-Sam Hornish, Jr. (Dodge), #5-Mark Martin (Chevy) and #56-Martin Truex, Jr. (Toyota) 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)(1-6-2010)

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