INDIANAPOLIS - Goodyear will test its NASCAR tires at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice in the next three weeks as it tries to solve the durability problem it had at the Brickyard race this summer.
The manufacturer was criticized after tires it brought to the track in July wore out so often that NASCAR had to call cautions every 10 to 12 laps for tire changes in the Allstate 400. The longest run under the green flag was 13 laps.
The first test on the 2.5-mile oval will be Monday and Tuesday, with one car gathering data that Goodyear will use in making a new tire for the second test with up to 14 cars Oct. 6-8.
"We've set a very aggressive schedule to come up with the right tire recommendation for the 2009 race at IMS," Goodyear's Stu Grant said Friday. "This is the first test of two we have scheduled for this fall, and our intention is to return again in the spring."
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The tire problem at Indianapolis became apparent during a practice session the day before the Brickyard race, when some cars couldn't make it three laps without the tire wearing down to the cords. A second practice session was only slightly better, when the runs stretched to about 10 laps.
"We're pleased to see Goodyear's commitment to building a tire that will help to create the competitive racing that our fans at IMS expect," Speedway president Joie Chitwood said.
The 2009 Brickyard race is scheduled for July 26.
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