Notebook: Goodyear won't change tread compound for Brickyard

Notebook: Goodyear won't change tread compound for Brickyard

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(May 7, 2011)

DARLINGTON, S.C.—After two days of testing earlier this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Goodyear has decided to use the same tread compound at this year’s Brickyard 400 that drivers raced on in 2010, Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of worldwide racing, told Sporting News.

Grant said the tire maker was opting for a known quantity in the tread compound, one that produced a problem-free race won by Jamie McMurray last year. In keeping with what Goodyear has done at many tracks this season, there will be a slight construction change to the tires supplied at Indy.

The right-side tires will be slightly smaller, with an eye toward improved handling. The left sides will feature a mold shape change to preserve the stagger (the relationship to the right-side tires).

Kurt Busch was one of five drivers who participated in this week’s test at the Brickyard, and he said there wasn’t a clear frontrunner with respect to the combinations he tested.

“I think all of the drivers did all that they could to give feedback,” Busch said. “There wasn’t just one specific tire that jumped out at us that said, ‘Hey, pick me.’ It’s a matter of going through and filtering the information.”

Tire issues plagued the 2008 Sprint Cup race at the Brickyard, which is a particularly problematic track with a diamond-ground surface that tends to abrade tires. Thanks to extensive testing before the 2009 race, Goodyear developed tire combinations that have been up to the challenge in subsequent years.

Jeff Gordon hopes his crash will make Richmond safer

It wasn't the hit itself that told Jeff Gordon there was no SAFER barrier at his point of impact last week at Richmond—it was a TV replay.

A late-race crash had sent Gordon's car slamming into the inside concrete wall at the 0.75-mile short track, an impact that brought safety concerns to the fore.

"I got out (of the car), got in the medical center, you know, my head hurt a little bit," Gordon said Friday at Darlington Raceway, where he was preparing for Saturday's Southern 500. "Other than that, I was feeling pretty good. I was walking out of the medical center, and I happened to see a TV and caught a glance at what happened and I was shocked. I couldn't believe there wasn't a SAFER barrier there. Then I realized why it hurt so much.

"I think that it was pretty interesting this week because I had several drivers text me saying thank you for helping to make the racetracks safer, because I am pretty sure we will be seeing a SAFER barrier there. I seem to find those places on tracks and I don't want to be that test pilot for those things.

“I think there are areas that are still out there for some reason that still need to be covered and hopefully through this incident, which I walked away from unscathed, we'll be able to make improvements there at Richmond."

Stewart, Biffle racing for $1 million

Even if they don’t win the $1 million first prize at the May 21 Sprint All-Star Race, two drivers will have another chance to compete for a seven-figure payday—for someone else.

Tony Stewart sported a special rear panel on his car at Darlington, encouraging small business owners to enter the 2011 “Official Small Business of NASCAR, Courtesy of Office Depot” sweepstakes. Two small business finalists will have a chance to win $1 million and see their company’s logo featured on Stewart’s No. 14 Chevy or Greg Biffle’s No. 16 Ford later this season.

Should either Stewart of Biffle win the Sept. 4 Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the finalist represented by the winning driver will take home $1 million.

Small businesses can enter through May 28 at www.OfficeDepotRacing.com.