Goodyear Tire donates $75,000 to give racers a touch of NASCAR: Goodyear tire company is giving the All-American Soap Box Derby derby $75,000, and that includes paying for the fiberglass and nylon wheels used by competitors at the world championship in July. In recognition of Goodyear’s gift, the traditionally plain white wheels will be painted black and carry the Goodyear name. It’ll also be a visual reminder of Goodyear’s efforts to bring NASCAR in as a derby partner this year. “The idea is for them to look like NASCAR tires,” derby General Manager Jeff Iula said. Goodyear is the exclusive supplier of tires for NASCAR. The 413 sets of wheels competitors used this year had a retail value of $33,000, Iula said. The wheels are made of fiberglass-reinforced nylon resin, molded by Remington Plastics of Cuyahoga Falls. Derby officials put the same style of wheels on each competitor’s car to help even the playing field. For several years, kids who wanted to keep their race day wheels had to pay $70 for them. For the past three years, the derby ate the cost and gave the wheels away. Next year will be the first time a sponsor has paid the entire cost of the wheels.(Beacon Journal)(11-7-2002)
