2021 Goodyear Racing Media Guide

A Message from Steve McClellan

As we turn the page on 2020 and look forward to what will be another historic racing season, we're reminded of the important role sports can play in helping people through challenging times. In a year when the world slowed down, racing was the first major sport to gear up and return to the scene, bringing a sense of normalcy and entertainment to fans when they needed it most.

For those tuning in from home and fans fortunate enough to take to the stands, your coverage kept millions of motorsports enthusiasts around the world engaged and connected. On behalf of Goodyear, thank you for your commitment to covering the sport. We look forward to a great 2021 season and hope to see you all again at the track soon.

How a NASCAR Tire is Made in Akron, Ohio

The process involves several key stages:

1. Materials: Dozens of distinct ingredients are combined.
2. Engineered Components: Engineers design and associates build all tire components, including the bead, sidewall, body plies, belts, overlay, and tread.
3. Tire Building: Skilled builders hand-build each NASCAR tire at Goodyear's Innovation Center Manufacturing (ICM) facility in Akron, Ohio, to precise specifications.
4. Curing: Tires are exposed to high temperatures and pressure to bind components and give them their shape.
5. RFID Chip: A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip is embedded in the sidewall to track the tire's life cycle.
6. Quality Systems: Components and tires undergo numerous checks (manual inspections, testing, X-ray) to ensure uniformity and quality throughout manufacturing.
7. Final Finish: Tires are trimmed and inspected by hand for quality control.
8. Decal: The distinctive yellow Goodyear Eagle lettering is applied.
9. Shipping & Delivery to Track: Completed tires are sent to the race track.

Associates Take Pride in Role with NASCAR

Several Goodyear associates share their experiences:

• Bekki Peterhoff (28 Years of Service / Service Operator & Tire Builder): "My parents both worked for Goodyear; my father for 44 years. I was the first woman race tire builder and am still doing it today."
• Matt DiLauro (23 Years of Service / Labor Trainer): "Drivers are important to me. Each part of the tire making process is handled with such care and detail from the start to the checkered flag on race day."
• Glenda Wagner (22 Years of Service / Stock Preparation): "My family loves watching NASCAR racing, especially since one of my tires won the race in 2004. I still have the winning tire builder certificate."
• Bill Fogle (28 Years of Service / Breakdown Mill Operator): "I take great pride and a sense of accomplishment knowing that my work helps propel some of the greatest drivers in the racing world safely to victory."
• Joe Nutter (28 Years of Service / Final Finish): "I'm very proud to be a member of the Goodyear racing division. It is rewarding to be able to watch our finished product on national television every race weekend."
• Dawn Washington (15 Years of Service / Cure Operator): "My sister and I both work at Goodyear. We take great pride in our family as she builds NASCAR tires and I cure them."
• Mark Wilson (14 Years of Service / Extruder Operator): "I am a second-generation associate at this plant. My grandfather was hired in 1918 and worked 45 years for Goodyear. My son also works here as a tire builder, making it three generations."
• Thomas Hysell (4 Years of Service / Maintenance Repair): "I'm the third one in my family to work at Goodyear, following my two grandfathers who had careers here. At a young age, I went to a NHRA drag race, and it is something I never forgot."

Goodyear Racing Staff

• Stu Grant, General Manager, Global Race Tires: Joined Goodyear 1972. Chemical engineering degree. Moved to racing division in 1973. Held roles in tire development, compounding, sales, and marketing before becoming GM of global race tires in 1996.
• Greg Stucker, Director, Race Tire Sales: Joined Goodyear 1979. Mechanical engineering degree. Involved in racing division since 1980, with roles in tire development and sales management.
• Justin Fantozzi, Operations Manager, Racing: Joined Goodyear 1996. Chemical engineering degree. Experience in tire compounding and design for various racing series. Holds an MBA in marketing.
• Rick Heinrich, Account Manager, NASCAR: Joined Goodyear 1985. Business degree. Moved through retail and commercial tire divisions before joining racing in 2002, managing NASCAR distribution and service, then becoming sales account manager for NASCAR in 2008.
• Todd Rogers, Sales Account Manager, Drag Racing: Joined Goodyear 2006. Sports management degree. Initially in inventory control, moved to sales account management for NASCAR series, then drag racing in 2017.
• Tom Courtney, Manager, Race Event Operations: Joined Goodyear 1991. Worked as a tire technician while in college. Held roles in race tire service, logistics, and distribution for NASCAR before becoming manager of race event operations in 2013.
• Jay Chapman, Sales Account Manager: Joined Goodyear 2017. Business management degree and motorsports management certificate. Started in retail stores, moved to racing group overseeing sports car racing and the NASCAR Truck Series.
• Bob Altvater, Manager, Race Tire Development & Quality: Joined Goodyear 1980. Chemical engineering degree. Assignments in manufacturing and quality/technology before moving to racing in 2012, focusing on product development and quality.
• Mark Keto, NASCAR Project Manager: Joined Goodyear 1996. Chemical engineering degree. Shifted to NASCAR group in 1997, serving as tire compounder, lead engineer, and project leader for racing technology before his current role.
• Dave Auffenberg, Project Manager, Tire Development, Drag & Sports Car Racing: Joined Goodyear 1985. Chemical engineering degree. Experience in dirt racing, Formula One, stock cars, and CART series. Focuses on drag and sports car tires since 2011.
• Shannon Baker, Project Leader, Advanced Engineering Group: Joined Goodyear 2002. Mechanical engineering degree. Responsible for force/moment testing and RFID implementation. Served as lead engineer for tire vehicle mechanics before his current role focusing on advanced technologies.
• Ryan Benoit, Lead Engineer, Racing Technology: Joined Goodyear 2011. Materials science engineering degree. Started with MRT tires, joined NASCAR team as compounder, and promoted to lead engineer for NASCAR in 2017, focusing on tire package optimization and development.
• Bill Bedont, Lead Engineer, Drag & Sports Car Racing: Joined Goodyear 1999. Mechanical engineering degree. Worked in global engineering and then as a drag designer before rejoining the race division as lead engineer for drag and sports car tires in 2019.
• Marty Burgess, Manufacturing Director: Joined Goodyear 1996. Degrees in business administration and project management. Extensive experience in tire manufacturing and maintenance before joining the race tire plant in 2018.

2021 Goodyear Racing Preview

Goodyear continues its commitment to motorsports in 2021, expanding efforts with new products and series, building on over 100 years of involvement.

NASCAR

Goodyear has been a NASCAR tire supplier for over 60 years and the exclusive supplier for its three national divisions since 1997. The partnership is built on mutual respect. Stu Grant highlights the importance of competition and the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" adage, emphasizing that racing drives technological advancement and showcases an organization's technical competence.

The 2021 NASCAR schedule features new venues like Nashville, Bristol (dirt), and Circuit of the Americas, requiring new tire testing and development. Goodyear is also preparing for the transition to 18-inch wheels for the Next Gen car in 2022, with extensive testing planned.

NHRA

Drag racing remains a major focus. Despite challenges in 2020, NHRA showed resilience. Goodyear introduced new products like the D-2719 tire for bracket racing and Top Dragster competitors, featuring a consistent compound for various conditions. New products for Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Super Comp, and Factory Stock Showdown are also planned.

Key 2020 NHRA champions mentioned include Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), and Erica Enders (Pro Stock).

Sports Car

Sports car racing is diverse, presenting challenges for tire makers. Goodyear introduced new products in 2020 for SCCA, Formula Car Challenge, and vintage racing, setting track records. The company also returned to European sports car racing, including a dual podium result in LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Goodyear's involvement includes partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and continued development for various classes and series globally.

Superstar Racing Experience (SRX)

Goodyear is the exclusive tire supplier for the new SRX series, created by NASCAR legends Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart. This partnership leverages Goodyear's experience supplying tires to series like IROC and its ability to design tires for both asphalt and dirt ovals.

2021 Venue Groupings

For Goodyear Eagle racing radial tires in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series & NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series:

Conditions Facing NASCAR Racing Tires

Goodyear produces every racing tire for NASCAR's top three series.

• Goodyear has won 1,909 NASCAR Cup Series races through 2020.
• Goodyear produces over 100,000 tires annually for NASCAR.
• Approximately 4,000 tires are brought to the track for a typical NASCAR race weekend involving all three series.
• Goodyear racing engineers work with every team at every race to assess tire performance via crew feedback and data collection.
• Tire specialists "match" tires into sets according to team race strategy.
• When cornering, the right front tire supports approximately 4,000 pounds of load, about four times more than the left side.
• Most NASCAR tires have slick treads to maximize surface area contact with the track.
• At 200 mph, the surface area of one tire touching the track is approximately equal to half of an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper.
• Right side NASCAR tires are larger in diameter and typically have higher air pressure than left side tires to aid cars in turns.
• Teams take tread depth readings before and after tire use to inform pit strategy and setup adjustments.
• On tracks longer than one mile, a tubeless inner tire (safety spare) is required by NASCAR.
• Goodyear tests race tires seven days a week at races, off-site tracks, and the Goodyear Innovation Center in Akron, Ohio.

Cutaways & Tire Label Data

Passenger Tire Cutaway Components:

• Tread Pattern: Helps provide traction capabilities.
• Tread Compound: Aids traction and wear in varying driving conditions.
• Belt Package: Helps control footprint shape and generate cornering power.
• Carcass Plies: Help provide resilience and load carrying capability.
• Apex: In some tires, a sidewall insert to enhance steering response during cornering.
• Bead: Interface between the tire and wheel.

NASCAR Tire Cutaway Components:

• Bead: Interface between the tire and wheel.
• Rim: Built to help accommodate inner and outer tires.
• Tread Compound: Helps provide grip to the race track.
• Belt Package: Helps control footprint shape at high speeds.
• Carcass Plies: Help provide load carrying capability.
• Inner Liner: Serves as an inner tire to help support the race car if the outer tire is punctured.
• Apex: Helps control sidewall stiffness.

Race Tire Label Data includes:

• Eight-Digit Barcode Identifier
• Spring Rate
• Tire Size (tire diameter, tread width, and bead diameter)
• Product Code
• Tire Classification
• Tire D Code (identifies mold, construction, and compound combination; also found on tire sidewall)
• Sequence Number (identifies tire production sequence)

Every new Goodyear race tire is delivered with a tire label.

Race Tire Facts

Goodyear's Racing History

• 1901: First foray into racing and first victory with Henry Ford's car.
• 1916: Launched first serious race tire development program; Goodyear Cord Tires dominated U.S. circuits.
• 1919: Goodyear tires on winning cars in every major race, including the Indianapolis 500.
• 1922: Goodyear withdrew from active racing participation.
• 1954: Conducted tire tests for NASCAR Convertible Series, marking an unofficial re-entry.
• 1957: Limited race tire testing with NASCAR drivers.
• 1958: Official re-entry into racing.
• 1959: Won at NASCAR's Darlington race against Firestone.
• 1960: Won first international sports car race (Grand Prix of Cuba) and Daytona 500.
• 1963: Authorized development program for Indy 500 after a 44-year absence.
• 1964: Won Indy Car race (Phoenix) and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• 1965: Started "tire war" with Firestone in Indy Car; developed crashworthy fuel cell.
• 1966: Produced mandatory Lifeguard Safety Spare for NASCAR; shared tire safety technology.
• 1967: First Indy 500 win since re-emergence.
• 1968: Since this year, every NASCAR Cup Series champion has been on Goodyear tires.
• 1974: Firestone withdrew from all racing.
• 1978: Tire war began with Michelin in Formula One.
• 1980: Formula One race tire production moved to Akron; temporary withdrawal from Formula One (Dec 1980 - June 1981).
• 1981: "Eagle" replaced "Blue Streak" as racing tire designation.
• 1982: All NASCAR Xfinity Series champions have won on Goodyear Eagle tires since its startup.
• 1983: Introduced radial rain tire for Formula One with "Gatorback" tread.
• 1984: Introduced radial slick tread tires to Formula One; first radial victory in Belgium. Michelin withdrew from Formula One.
• 1987: Hoosier competed with Goodyear in NASCAR Xfinity Series.
• 1988: Hoosier entered NASCAR Cup racing; a Hoosier win broke Goodyear's 464-race Cup win streak.
• 1989: Introduced radial tire in NASCAR Cup; Dale Earnhardt won. Hoosier soon withdrew from NASCAR's top tier.
• 1991: Introduced tubeless version of the inner liner safety spare.
• 1992: Introduced Short Track Special racing Eagle and new yellow-lettered Eagle race tires for NASCAR Cup.
• 1993: Every NASCAR Cup race ran on new Goodyear Eagle radial racing tires; bias-ply tires relegated to history. Introduced Aquatro wet weather tire in Formula One.
• 1994: Hoosier returned and withdrew from NASCAR Cup and Xfinity. Reached 300th Formula One victory and 300th consecutive Indy Car victory.
• 1995: Sole tire supplier to four top racing series with open tire rules: Formula One, NASCAR Cup, NASCAR Xfinity, and NHRA top classes. Reached 1,000th Goodyear NASCAR Cup victory.
• 1996: Indy Racing League formed; Goodyear battled Bridgestone. Marked Eagle tire brand's 25th anniversary.
• 1997: Selected as "Exclusive Tire Supplier" for NASCAR's top three series.
• 1998: Introduced wet racing tire for NASCAR Xfinity road course events. Resigned as Formula One supplier after 368 victories and 25 World Championships.
• 1999: Left open wheel racing's CART and IRL series.
• 2001: Selected as sole tire supplier to NHRA's Top Fuel and Funny Car classes.
• 2002: Helped set 11 track qualifying records during return to NASCAR North Series. Production of bias-ply tires for various series returned to Akron.
• 2005: Became sole supplier to new NASCAR Grand National Division's West and Busch North series. Grand-Am's Daytona Prototype class competed solely on Goodyear radials.
• 2006: Employed RFID technology on production scale for NASCAR tires. All race tire production moved to Akron Innovation Center.
• 2009: Developed new NASCAR wet weather tire. Celebrated 1,500th NASCAR Cup victory.
• 2010: Became "Official Tire" of the World of Outlaws series.
• 2012: Began testing and development for the Sixth generation NASCAR Cup car.
• 2013: Debuted multi-zone tread technology in NASCAR.
• 2014: Celebrated 60 consecutive years of supplying race tires to NASCAR.
• 2015: Replaced yellow sidewall lettering with white to imitate 1970s NASCAR tires for Darlington Raceway's "throwback" initiative.
• 2016: Debuted new advertising featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• 2017: Announced new multi-year agreement with NASCAR. Introduced Option tire for All-Star race.
• 2018: Changed sidewall lettering on wet weather tires to white.
• 2020: Ended season with 1,909 NASCAR Cup Series victories.

2020 Racing Champions

NASCAR

• Cup Series: Chase Elliott
• Xfinity Series: Austin Cindric
• Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series: Sheldon Creed

Chase Elliott received the Goodyear Gold Car award, an exact 1/12-scale replica of his championship car, presented by Goodyear Chairman, CEO & President Rich Kramer.

NHRA

• Camping World Drag Racing Series - Top Fuel: Steve Torrence
• Camping World Drag Racing Series - Funny Car: Matt Hagan
• Camping World Drag Racing Series - Pro Stock: Erica Enders
• Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Top Alcohol Dragster: Megan Meyer
• Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series - Super Comp: Christopher Dodd

Sports Car

• Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) 2020 Run-Offs:
• HP GT3: Steve Sargis
• Formula Mazda: Mike Lewis
• GT Lite: Jacob Loomis
• Formula Mazda: Peter Shadowen
• Formula Car Challenge presented by Goodyear:
• Formula Mazda: Bill Weaver
• Pro Formula Mazda: Robert Merritt

Corporate Overview

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies, employing approximately 62,000 people and manufacturing products in 46 facilities across 21 countries. Its Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, focus on developing state-of-the-art products and services that set industry standards for technology and performance.

For more information about Goodyear and its products, visit www.goodyear.com/corporate.