Truth & Rumors > Auto Racing

Views: 173
Comments: 0

Email Print Buzz Facebook Digg Twitter RSS Share

07:58 AM ET 03.26 | One test of Darlington Raceway's new surface wasn't enough, so Goodyear is coming back. The tire manufacturer will hold a one-day test Wednesday at NASCAR's oldest superspeedway. The test, which is closed to the public and the media, will feature the same three drivers who participated in the last test (Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle), which was held March 10-11. Toyota, which didn't have a driver represented in the last test, also won't have a driver at this one. During the last test, Goodyear officials said they only need two teams for collecting data and the exclusion of Toyota wasn't deliberate. One of the main reasons for the test clearly is to find a tire that might help slow the speeds down. During the last one, speeds reached more than 200 mph on the back stretch. The qualifying record for the track is 173.797, set by Ward Burton in 1996.

South Carolina Now

Goodyear Tires, Jason Smith/Getty Images

Comments (6) Add A Comment

March 26, 2008 08:35 AM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

Maybe Tony shouldn't have pi $$ ed them off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Jr. #88 Fan from…

Total Comments (1101)

March 26, 2008 09:32 AM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

How can the exclusion of TOYO not be deliberate????

LittleE~BigMT fan

Total Comments (3383)

March 26, 2008 10:31 AM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

Good year trying to find a tire to slow them down. How about make a tire that is safe for them to go over 200 mph. Dont forget its called racing. we want to see them go fast! DUH!!

rusty 123

Ridgeway, VA

Total Comments (134)

March 26, 2008 10:58 AM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

New surface. Usually abrasive. Soft-tire won't hold-up for long. It will begin the run very well, working with the abrasive track. Two things happen. First the tire will lose huge balls of rubber. Driving outta the groove is gonna grab huge gobs of rubber. Triggering a) the driver to think he has a tire going down. b) unbalanced wheel that will vibrate massively. Second thing that happens is: When the tire loses grip. Boom it will be done. The tight corner at one end of Darlington means you need to run a lot of camber. Remember what happens to running on a small contact patch? Heat generation and tire degredation. Leading to a catastrophic failure that the inner-liner can't help. Usually right as the right-front is being leaned on upon entry into the corner. Straight up into the wall.
So Goodyear would rather go back to the drawing board until they come-up with a tire that has a little harder compound, but is still engineered to go fast but safe.
The purchasing public couldn't give a rats-behind about TS and his bi-polar rantings, but have a Nascar star perish because the tire was too soft, that they might react to. So it appears as if Goodyear is practicing due-diligece.
Toyota isn't there because they don't have lockers to keep your stuff in while your out at the track...

johnnyrunner

Beverly Hills , CA

Total Comments (109)

March 26, 2008 11:37 AM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

I still say they need a consistant base to determine what changes (if any) need to be made. You can only do that with the same group of drivers that were there the first time. The drivers were set weeks before Tony's tirade about the tire deal.