NWS: Goodyear Racing changes tire lineup

AKRON, Ohio (Aug. 30) -- The Goodyear Tire&Rubber Company announced today it will change its tire lineup for the remainder of the 2001 Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, NASCAR Touring season.

Beginning with the Sept. 2 Tri City 125 at West Richland, Wash., the tire company will supply the series with the same tire combination at every race.

"Based upon results of the races held year to date, the competitors in the series have asked us to consider a change to our hardest tire combination for all tracks," said Carolyn Ashbee, Goodyear marketing manager, short track racing. "We don't feel that this is the optimum set-up for each circuit, but we're willing to work with the teams to determine if it is an acceptable compromise."

Goodyear is the sole tire supplier for the Series. The requested tire combination is the D1306 left side tire and the D1314 right side. Prior to this season, this combination had been used only in Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, competition at Phoenix International Raceway, the high-speed, one-mile oval in Phoenix, Ariz.

Prior to the 2001 season, Goodyear executives met with NASCAR officials regarding tire recommendations for the coming year. The Northwest Series has undergone a change to its weight ratio rule, adding 2% more weight to the right side of the cars.

Test sessions on the newly-repaved South Sound Speedway indicated the need for the most robust tire combination in Goodyear's arsenal, the D1306/D1314 pairing. After the race there the combination of new-found grip at South Sound and excellent tire wear was very popular with the competitors.

In addition to the Northwest and Southwest series, Goodyear also is the exclusive tire supplier for the Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

-Goodyear Racing