FanNation - The Republic of Sport

someone get him a towel.... his crying is getting old.....
the dr.

Come on Tony--Get over Kyle being the first Toyota to win and quit taking it out on Goodyear!!!!!! I know you don't like it that you're not Gibbs top driver anymore but suck it up and drive better!!!

DR, say what you want about Tony crying but you have to admit, with all that you explained yesterday about car set up that;

"Perhaps one big part of the problem is that Goodyear is trying to use the same tire combination every weekend for the Trucks, the Nationwide cars, and the Cup cars, even though the three vehicles have different dynamics."

Is not a way to go about bringing a tire to the track. Maybe, just maybe, with Tony being closer to the problem and having his butt in the car that is doing 190mph sees this as a problem. And I was Tony, I would want someone to hear my complaints as well. Apparently this has been going on for years and it is coming to head. Stewart has always been outspoken and I don't fault him in this instance.

These quotes were from another article;

"Tony Stewart defended his harsh criticism of the tires Goodyear brought to Atlanta last weekend and said that it was time to speak out after years of closed door meetings failed to produce a solution."

"Stewart said the tire company that has exclusive rights to NASCAR needs to understand that those rights bring responsibility, among them listening to the thoughts of drivers and taking them into account."

We've all been there. Where the higher ups feel they know more about what is going on than the people in the trenches actually doing the work. Everyone may be biased against Tony because he's not their driver (Which he isn't mine either) or people may just say, "That's typical Tony exploding again". But you have to admit. If this has been going on for years and nothing has changed. AND they try using the same tire for 3 different circuits, there is a problem. Tony, in his usual fashion, is bringing it to the attention of everyone so hopefully something will be done about it. I for one would like to see more competitive racing, ie, door handle to door handle. But when you can't keep the car straight, that won't happen much.

Tony's Siruis show is nearing the end....thank god. It was interesting at first as I catch the replay on the way to work. The show has become 50% advertisements (surprise surprise) . Dont recall who will be hosting going forward. For all the fierceness - he falls over himself on the show being kind and politcally correct......cant stand the slobbering by fans and Tony in return. He lost the "fire".

Let me get this straight. They have an abrasive surface, that Goodyear is worried will wear tires to fast so they make a tire with a harder compound. OK . So it doesn't work so well. OK. Back o the drawing board. OK They erred on the side of safety. So why should Goodyear care what Stewart has to say? I thought we were supposed to be conditioned by Nascar and Home Depot: That anything or any action that orriginates with TS is to be promptly ignored. Sort of like a tourettes syndrome kind of thing. If he was to be taken seriously his bi-polar episodes should be enough to have him so full of Ritalin, that he would be too rendered incapable of driving.
Since they are the only tire supplier, they gain nothing in the marketplace because of it. It is not race on Sundays buy on Mondays as far as tires go. I've said it before; Goodyear has zero obligation to dance to France's tune. If he wants to play "lets make a new car" with the COT, of course they will have to play catch up with any tire developments. Remember they rushed this COT in. At first it was going to be phased in over a few years, so Goodyear has budget RD for BOTH types of cars. Then Nascar says "nah,we think we will run it exclusively...". So now Goodyear as the only tire company has to refocus as France who has about as much foresight as....? You get the idea. Isn't it funny how Jarrett can grow a backbone now, but when he was toolin' around in the pits last year as part of the can't qualify on time contingent, he was strangely silent on both MW or Toyota.

johnnyrunner..........i read your rambling twice and it still
made little sense.....what jarrett did last year has nothing to do with
this tire issue.......perhaps if the other tire companies were involved
the competition would make them get it right quicker like it is in the
world we live in.......they are constantly striving to make tires better
for the general public......its called competition....oh ya that's what
stewart wanted.

Sometimes you have to go crazy to make people realize that there is a problem. I did it myself at work a few times. Talking 'behind closed doors' is a good first step, but if that is ignored, and apparently Stewart thinks it has been, you go to the next level. And you can't deny that people are listening. If Goodyear or NASCAR will actually do anything is another question, but Stewart has gotten their attention. And that is what he was trying to do.

Let me get this straight. They have an abrasive surface, that Goodyear is worried will wear tires to fast so they make a tire with a harder compound. OK . So it doesn't work so well. OK. Back o the drawing board. OK They erred on the side of safety. So why should Goodyear care what Stewart has to say?

johnnyrunner | 03/13/08, 09:00 AM

Maybe they shouldn't but here's another question. With "numerous" drivers saying the tires weren't up to par, not the way Tony did, but they said it anyway, why should Goodyear already say they are going to bring the same tires to Texas? KNOWING that they didn't work in ATL and that more than a couple drivers were dissatisified with them? Why set your self up for more ridicule when they could use the time before the race at TX to make them better?

That is a rhetorical question...they won't do anything before TX because they are the only tire maker for NASCAR. No competition brings forth complacency and this is a prime example.

This is what I love about Tony Stewart never scared to voice his opinion and he always stands by it. Hopefully, he can be the reason the tire problem in Nascar is fixed!

I for one agree with johnnyrunner on this 100% the tony fans are all up in arms over their driver's rants....tribe you really seem bother by this .... and i understand your view, don't agree with it but i understand it..
the dr.

now wait a minute there tribe ..... the story don't say they are bringing the atlanta tire back to texas it says.......
Texas Motor Speedway officials were informed by Goodyear that the tire manufacturer will utilize the same tire compound that produced dramatic racing in both Sprint Cup Series races last season for the upcoming Samsung 500 on April 6.
that means to me that it is the tire they ran there last year not the atlanta tire....
the dr.

Yeah Dr. its the tire they ran there last year but the only problem is those tires were run on the old cars no the COT so maybe there will be not much difference or a whole lot.
And why should Stewart back-down, the tires were crap and everyone in the garage knows that. I know he really didn't expect Goodyear to come on his show.

ophelia you obviously know nothing of what a tire war will bring. In striving to gain more grip, the tire companies would offer tires that wear even faster but provide quick lap-times.( Catastrophic failures are common) When there is a tire war neither comoany wants to supply a safe tire that anyone will use. If they are forced to provide a soft or a hard compound. The difference between them would mean the soft would always be chosen.
Not to mention sponsors who would find themselves saddled with raceteams that have signed on contracts with one tire supplier who may or may not be competitive.( A sponsor driven sport where a reasonable expectation to be competitive resides with the race team they choose to sponsor, not a tire company with little to gain but a lot to answer to at the shareholders meeting) Remember this is a SPEC series. What exactly is the most important component of your suspension? Tires. And how can you have a SPEC series when you toss the most important variable out the window.
Also who else would Nascar fans let into the tire game? Firestone...I mean bridgestone...or uniroyal-goodrich...I mean michelin. Oh we all heard what happens when you let them darn foreigners into Nascar.

You are correct DR...I will admit when I'm wrong and I was wrong about the Tire at TX. BUT...do you at least agree that before those tires are put on cars at TX that it would be a good idea for Goodyear to do additional testing before that race because last year the COT was not used at TX?

Johnny...I have to think that if another tire company wanted to work it's way into NASCAR that the powers at hand that have strangled their ideas and rules and that COT would also do the same with the tire maunufacturers. A lot has changed in the sport since the last tire situation of more than one maker and if NASCAR was serious about having a little competition as to who drives what tires they would make rules stating that teams can't sign exclusive deals with a certain company and that before a tire could be used at any track there would have to be clear evidence the tire would work and not be a danger to the drivers. At that point the drivers and crew chiefs would have a choice of tires that could change from track to track. At least then they would ultimately have to take the responsibility if the tire failed because they chose that tire. As opposed to, this is the tire you're running, get over it because the NASCAR powers want the $$$$$ from only one maker.

If Goodyear truly believed they had a good tire, why would they "decline" to confront Stewart with the facts on his own show?

Sounds like Tony knows what he's talking about and Goodyear has their head in the sand.

I don't remember if it was one of the broadcast anouncers or one of the local sports reporters, but after the race somebody made the comment, "He'll never see another round tire all year." There may be at least a little truth in that statement!

tribe what you fail to realize is no other company wants in the tire market in nascar....hoosier damn sure don't , michelin don't , firestone sure don't so who are they going to get for another tire company?.. but again i agree with johnny runnner on this one too... ( i seem to be agreeing with him alot on this) tire wars will just cause someone to get hurt trying to get softer and softer tires which like he said lead to failures and that is where people or drivers get hurt... lots of people fail to see the big picture here and if every one will backup and look carefully at what is going on instead of following some kneejerk reaction everyone will see what is at stake.......... the good of the sport...
the dr.

it seems that some of us are not tech savvy like others but we are interested in the good of the sport along with almost every driver that drove on those sad evxcuses for tires last week

Dr...can you tell me why they don't want in? Because I'm thinking they don't want in because they know they won't have a fair shake at getting in with the powers of NASCAR and Goodyear and the fat contract $$$$ that is changing hands. Any smart business man will see that if you can't win there is no point in getting in the battle. Has NASCAR and their dealings with companies such as Sprint and Goodyear soured other companies from trying to break into the sport?