Goodyear Re-Tests Atlanta, Gets a Grip on Tire Recommendation
AKRON, OHIO (Wednesday, September 17, 2008) -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company returned to Atlanta Motor Speedway this week and tested to come up with a new right-side tire that will give NASCAR Sprint Cup cars more grip when the series visits the track on October 24-26.
Participating in the one-day test this Tuesday were the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (Kyle Busch), No. 28 Yates Racing Ford (Travis Kvapil) and No. 66 Haas-CNC Racing Chevrolet (Scott Riggs). Those teams were selected because they also participated in a tire test at Atlanta on July 21-22, and Goodyear engineers felt that bringing back the same teams and drivers would maintain continuity and build upon the results of the first test. Using the results from that prior test, Goodyear returned with several potential race combinations to evaluate, and chose the one that worked best.
"The spring race at Atlanta was the first for the new car on this track, and many people felt we were too conservative in our tire selection," said Stu Grant, Goodyear's general manager of global racing. "We have returned to the track twice for testing since the race in order to develop a tire combination that provides a higher level of grip under race conditions. Based upon the data and driver feedback at the test this week, we believe that we've found a solid package for the fall race."
Goodyear's new right side tire code (D-4188) will be paired with the same left-side code (D-4152) the tire supplier brought for the Cup cars to run at Atlanta this past March 7-9.
Goodyear has had a busy week of testing, not only visiting Atlanta but also holding a two-day session with the No. 6 Roush-Fenway Ford (David Ragan) and No. 15 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated Chevrolet (Paul Menard) at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday. Upcoming still in 2008 are two tire tests at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Sept. 22-23 and Oct. 6-8) and one each at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 14) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Dec. 10-11).
