Goodyear to remain ‘official tire of NASCAR’ with multiyear agreement
One of the longest-running partnerships in racing history has been extended.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and NASCAR announced a new multiyear agreement on Thursday that renews Goodyear’s position as the exclusive tire for NASCAR’s top three national series. The agreement also makes Goodyear the title sponsor of the annual Goodyear 400, NASCAR’s official throwback weekend Cup Series race at Darlington.
The initial announcement didn’t provide details of how long the “multiyear agreement” lasts.
NASCAR and Goodyear have been partners in the racing industry since 1954, “playing a critical role in our shared pursuit to deliver the best racing in the world,” NASCAR president Steve Phelps said via a release.
Phelps added: “For more than 25 years, Goodyear Eagle tires have been the only component that connects the stock car to the racetrack. Our continued partnership will allow us to push boundaries and innovate our racing product for generations to come.”
Goodyear, one of the largest tire companies in the world, produces more than 100,000 tires for NASCAR’s Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series every year.
Its 18-inch Goodyear Racing Eagle tire was used on NASCAR’s Next Gen stock car and thus was an integral piece of a product that made the 2022 Cup season so memorable.
At the same time, the tire, like its at-times-maligned Next Gen stock car, was occasionally under scrutiny. That scrutiny was perhaps amplified most after September’s race at Texas Motor Speedway which saw several blown tires spark a chaos that even racing fans considered a bit too much.
2022 was a year of learning for NASCAR, from a safety and competitive perspective, officials said throughout this past season. Thursday’s news ensured that Goodyear will continue to learn alongside NASCAR.
“From our manufacturing plants to offices around the world, racing is ingrained in our culture, and the importance of our relationship with NASCAR is reflected in the quality, performance and engineering we put into every Goodyear Eagle race tire,” Richard J. Kramer, chairman and CEO at Goodyear, said in a release. “Our performance on the racetrack plays an active role in the success of the sport and inspires the development of our consumer tires, fueling our commitment to take performance and innovation to the next level.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2022 at 9:30 AM.
