Goodyear may be unable to supply NASCAR, Hoosier may return
Quote selected text Published November 16th, 2006 in NASCAR News
An Oct. 5 system-wide strike by some 15,000 United Steelworkers union members at 16 Goodyear Tire and Rubber manufacturing plants might have provided Lakeville, Indiana-based Hoosier Tire and Rubber a chance to get rolling again in NASCAR’s three top racing divisions, sources close to the situation said.
A meeting between Hoosier and NASCAR occurred last week at the latter’s Daytona Beach headquarters to establish a contingency plan that likely will kick into action by the end of November so that NASCAR’s Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series will have race tires on which to compete after the sanctioning body’s first event of the 2007 season at Daytona International Speedway.
Presently, non-striking Goodyear workers — most of whom normally perform white-collar duties — are at full-tilt-boogie in producing enough tires to satisfy demand for Daytona Beach’s Speed Weeks at NASCAR’s 2.5-mile “home” track. But it’s Goodyear’s inability to meet demand for the rest of the 2007 race schedule that has caused concern at NASCAR.
For 2007 Goodyear currently sees itself as producing tires only for Nextel Cups three biggest races held at Daytona, Charlotte and Indianapolis. With roughly a three-month lead time needed for manufacturing lines to ramp-up and complete tire production, such leaves Goodyear needing to settle the dispute with its workers no later than about the end of next week so that tires can be made ready for the February 25, 2007, California Speedway race.
“From everything I’ve heard,” said one well-placed Wall Street insider consulted for this story, “Goodyear is looking to outsource the manufacture of its product in the long haul.”
- NASCAR and Goodyear deny involvment with Hoosier in Cup for 2007
- Teams testing with Hoosier, B.F. Goodrich, Goodyear not happy
- DEI using Hoosier tires for testing
- Stewart calls Goodyear’s tires ‘crap’, calls for Hoosier
- Goodyear workers taking strike to NASCAR NYC celebrations
Oh great , something else for everyone to bitch about.
This might be a good thing 1 good way to even the playing field any true fan should rember the last time HOOSIER was in nascar . It didn’t work then but things have changed.
A tire war in addition to everything else NASCAR is facing next year will add another dimension to what I feel is already a multi-dimensioned season anyway. Hoosier and Goodyear need to make sure they don’t compromise safety in order to make a faster tire. Heck, wouldn’t it be fun to have Firestone join in on the fun as well?
It will be great cuz, qoute qoute, “If anybody remembered” hoosier went three years in a row back in tha day winning all the races in the season. It be also bring tires to that speed/longevity equilibrium that goodyear cannot find, but will be forced to with competition. I think teams should be allowed to run either tire, and that would also eliminate driver comments on poor tires. I promote it and have been saying there needs to be more than one brand. If anyone has paid attentino to the TRD, toyo is gonna be a major sponsor next year on cars and is pushing to get into the tire supplying as well. If you know, one set of tires costs 25 grand, and just imagine how many sets are used on a weekend. I though am anti foreign make sin nascar, its the Naional Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, not International, I think all makes should be american, or domestic and all american drivers, if not the series name needs to be changed.
well, remember that ‘yota does have a north america plant, so they still fall under national.
Tire war, CoT, ‘yota, team changes, next year is going to be fun to watch… want some cheese?