Firestone to DUMP IRL/IzoD?

[Chief]

Firestone out? (http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/2011/01/04/jan-4-firestone-on-its-way-out/)

Word on the street is the new IZOD indyIRL series isn't apparently all 'that' to Firestone.

Sounds like Indy wanted to up the contract from Firestone....pound sand. I guess this VerSus TV deal really is working wonders.:D

[Elmo T]

I see the new "Mastercraft Tire Wins the Indy500" spots coming soon.

[Methanolandbrats]

Hoosier? :)

[Andrew Longman]

If Firestone departs, any manufacturer of tires will be considered, including Goodyear, Michelin, Cooper and Pirelli. But few have the experience dealing with the various forces Indy cars put on their tires.

Economic forces or physics? Doing stuff at a loss IS a trick.

Competitively Goodyear did OK until they had to compete with Firestone. Presumably some institutional knowledge hung around.

Beyond that, I expect Michelin would be a huge hit in Indy. Not.

I've read several times that these contracts are actually a huge hassle for tire manufacturers even if they have exclusive rights, maybe especially if it is exclusive. Lots of risk of poor publicity, huge burden to make a huge supply of tires (esp NASCAR), and only the guarantee of being the I500/Daytona 500/etc. winner. And without the competition they don't have the benefit of challenging their engineers/engineering.

[SteveH]

And this should come as no surprise.

The IRL drops the oval race in Nashville.

Last Feb. the recently unveiled Deltawing was given floorspace in Firestone's display at the Chicago Auto Show. There were even two Firestone employees assigned to it to answer any questions and hype it up.

Additional investment will be required to develop new tires for the new chassis. To be fair, it would have also been required of the Deltawing, as well.

Meanwhile 'key metrics' continue to slide further into oblivion.

Why invest in a series that shows no return? There has been no bounce since remergerfication.

When reality meets BS, reality usually wins.

[Don Quixote]

You haters just don't get it. There will be a line a mile long of tire manufacturers bidding to get this contract. Just like the engine deal, you will see.

[cameraman]

If Firestone departs, any manufacturer of tires will be considered, including Goodyear, Michelin, Cooper and Pirelli. But few have the experience dealing with the various forces Indy cars put on their tires.

What moron wrote that sentence? Cavin, it figures. Jeebus, the world would be a better place if an asteroid just erased Indianapolis. IRL, Colts, Pacers, NCAA headquarters. Yep a big asteroid.

Apologies to any of you who might live there but really...

[JLMannin]

Competitively Goodyear did OK until they had to compete with Firestone. Presumably some institutional knowledge hung around.

Nope. Goodyear fired their entire R&D function. They actually believed that they had learned all there was to learn about tires. What a joke.

[G.]

If Firestone departs, any manufacturer of tires will be considered, including Goodyear, Michelin, Cooper and Pirelli.
Yep, step right up folks, plenty of room up front. No reasonable offer will be refused!

[Methanolandbrats]

Nope. Goodyear fired their entire R&D function. They actually believed that they had learned all there was to learn about tires. What a joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYtrwsDpII :D

[Napoleon]

Nope. Goodyear fired their entire R&D function. They actually believed that they had learned all there was to learn about tires. What a joke.

For the entire company or just the racing tire division?

[TKGAngel]

Firestone out? (http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/2011/01/04/jan-4-firestone-on-its-way-out/)

Word on the street is the new IZOD indyIRL series isn't apparently all 'that' to Firestone.

Sounds like Indy wanted to up the contract from Firestone....pound sand. I guess this VerSus TV deal really is working wonders.:D

Speculation in the trade press is that the company is looking to focus on it's non-racing related activities. They've invested heavily with the NFL & NHL.

[Andrew Longman]

Speculation in the trade press is that the company is looking to focus on it's non-racing related activities. They've invested heavily with the NFL & NHL.Why not.

Seriously, how long has it been since anyone who took tire buying seriously, seriously considered buying either Firestone or Goodyears?

A few years back I looked into a set of Bridgestones as a gesture to Champ Car. That lasted about 3 minutes until I read a few reviews and researched specs a bit.

Probably smart to simply advertise between PaPa John Pizza and Viagra commercials.

[JohnHKart]

Nope. Goodyear fired their entire R&D function. They actually believed that they had learned all there was to learn about tires. What a joke.

No wonder Tony Stewart had such nice things to say about them in that infamous "they got out of...") post race interview a few years back!!!!! :D

[manic mechanic]

Why not.

Seriously, how long has it been since anyone who took tire buying seriously, seriously considered buying either Firestone or Goodyears?

A few years back I looked into a set of Bridgestones as a gesture to Champ Car. That lasted about 3 minutes until I read a few reviews and researched specs a bit.

Probably smart to simply advertise between PaPa John Pizza and Viagra commercials.

Hold on a second, friend.. EVERY vehicle I own rolls on Bridgestones, and I work in a Goodyear fleet shop.

The difference between "corporate" tires and "bought brands" can be a huge one in terms of how good the tire design and construction are.

With Bridgestone, you get what you pay for... If it's a cheap "for the masses" model, it's a rebranded Firestone (or subsidiary) 9 times out of 10.

I'm not a doctor, but I play one in the service bays.

Bridgestone corporate is doing the smart thing here, because (as mentioned previously), there is little or no ROI.

manic

[Methanolandbrats]

Hold on a second, friend.. EVERY vehicle I own rolls on Bridgestones, and I work in a Goodyear fleet shop.

The difference between "corporate" tires and "bought brands" can be a huge one in terms of how good the tire design and construction are.

With Bridgestone, you get what you pay for... If it's a cheap "for the masses" model, it's a rebranded Firestone (or subsidiary) 9 times out of 10.

I'm not a doctor, but I play one in the service bays.

Bridgestone corporate is doing the smart thing here, because (as mentioned previously), there is little or no ROI.

manic

Yup, me too. Blizzak, G009 and others. Great tires. Also been buying General lately, they are Contis rebadged at a cheaper price.

[Indy]

Have Potenzas on one of our cars and they are wonderful tires.

Ended up with Coopers on a used car I bought, and I am intentionally abusing them so I can justify decent tires sooner. :gomer:

[opinionated ow]

It would be fitting if the IZOD Indycar series ran on GT Radials...

[chop456]

It would be fitting if they ran on 3 bare rims and a donut spare.

[NismoZ]

Hell, just ban wings AND tires! Desperate measures and all that. Just do it!

[Andrew Longman]

Hell, just ban wings AND tires! Desperate measures and all that. Just do it!Pumkin chunkin?

[Elmo T]

Pumkin chunkin?

We can create the good ol' days which a new Off Camber get together:

We all attend a Pumkin Chunkin event. The winning apparatus will no doubt have a problem with the mirrors.

Everyone brings their favorite cooking appliance. We can make our favorite recipes - which will undoubtedly contain bacon.

In the evening, we can sit around the campfire and discuss cooking shows, annoying drivers, kitchen faucets, favorite music, bacon, football (Brett Favre optional), venn diagrams, post-soprano TV watching, gas prices, and the Touchdown Jesus. We will never discuss baseball or politics. We can gather around the laptop and watch our favorite You Tube videos.

Did I miss anything?

:gomer:

[Andrew Longman]

Hold on a second, friend... OK. I believe you. For my needs my friends in the biz recommended Yokahamas and Hankooks and they've been great.

Whatever. Just ride your Bridgestones over to DE next year and pull up a seat around the campfire for some pumkin chunkin, smoked bacon and youtube clips. :tony:

[TKGAngel]

We can create the good ol' days which a new Off Camber get together:

We all attend a Pumkin Chunkin event. The winning apparatus will no doubt have a problem with the mirrors.

Everyone brings their favorite cooking appliance. We can make our favorite recipes - which will undoubtedly contain bacon.

In the evening, we can sit around the campfire and discuss cooking shows, annoying drivers, kitchen faucets, favorite music, bacon, football (Brett Favre optional), venn diagrams, post-soprano TV watching, gas prices, and the Touchdown Jesus. We will never discuss baseball or politics. We can gather around the laptop and watch our favorite You Tube videos.

Did I miss anything?

:gomer:


Booze.

[Gangrel]

Booze.

...but for God's sake, NO GIN!!!!

:D

[Michaelhatesfans]

...but for God's sake, NO GIN!!!!

:D

(whistles innocently)

[pchall]

I have really liked the three sets of of Contis I had on my Passat. :)


Yup, me too. Blizzak, G009 and others. Great tires. Also been buying General lately, they are Contis rebadged at a cheaper price.

[Duroc]

So the take away here is already cash strapped teams will have to lay out more for rubber?

Onward and upward!

:thumbup:

[stroker]

Let's assume Firestone wants $800G for a season's worth of tires. If you assume six sets per race for a 20 race season (and no testing) that's $1700/tire by my numbers.

Does that sound like a number somebody else could beat?

[Ziggy]

from beyond the grave Mickey Thompson suggests Sears Allstates!

(I mean, they so much publicity from the Dave MacDonald effort :))

[SurfaceUnits]

news from the vibrant racing leeg:


Firestone has indicated that it only sees about 1/10th the return on its investment in Indycar, due to low TV ratings. Firestone indicates the only race series of note in the US, is NASCAR, and they would love to take part if NASCAR allowed others to compete, or Goodyear makes an exit.

It looks like Firestone will leave in 2011 unless the teams cover the costs for tires, and Firestone reduces its other marketing funds.

[SteveH]

POW

[Ziggy]

Great, now maybe and end of the idiodic commercials where the IRL gloams off Indy's history and accomplishments in automotive engineering.

The IRL, our cars fly and break backs (besides being ugly as sin :))

[stroker]

"...and the wheel, goes 'round..."