|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
4 Mar 2011, 21:26 (Ref:2840334) | #1 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
|
Firestone Leaving IndyCar after 2011 Season
Firestone issued a news release on this about 30 minutes ago.
They tried to work out something that would suit both parties but could not. Firestone and IndyCar are going "different directions" (the final two works in Al Speyer's last quote in the release) |
||
__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
5 Mar 2011, 00:26 (Ref:2840414) | #2 | ||
Race Official
1% Club
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 47,174
|
Oops!!
|
||
__________________
Go woke, Go broke… Here’s hoping a random universe works out in your favour… The meaning of life… ENJOYING THE PASSAGE OF TIME! #CANCERSUCKS |
5 Mar 2011, 03:57 (Ref:2840436) | #3 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Well no surprise. For what it cost Firestone, there is no doubt it's not worth it anymore. This isn't 1995 anymore. You could probably fit the number of people in the world that actually care about this series anymore on a basketball court. Good on them for moving on to more prosperous pastures and hopefully other racing series. I told one of their execs years ago there were plenty of other great opportunities out there that had a better cost vs. benefit ratio and not to waste their time on a decrepit backwards series like indycar.
Rodeo Randy is going to have his hands full lassoing a new tire partner that will actually bring bucks to the table and a tire that will not explode at 225 mph for 500 miles. He better get crackin' cause R&D takes a while. Tomorrow we'll definitely celebrate the news! |
|
__________________
Wolverines! |
5 Mar 2011, 04:19 (Ref:2840438) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,607
|
Crap, that's late!
|
||
|
5 Mar 2011, 19:42 (Ref:2840741) | #5 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 47
|
That’s not surprising; IRL has very little value anymore as a marketing tool. The cost of developing an oval racing tire would be a massive waste of money for any company other than the one already in nascar stuff.
Bridgestone is pulling Firestone from IRL and they also left F1. Maybe they are looking to join Michelin and enter into LeMans. That would make endurance racing more of a battle. Pirelli has picked up the F1 opening after leaving GrandAm and Continental entered GrandAm after forming an alliance with Hoosier. Goodyear has nascar and is already in LeMans lmp2/gt with Dunlop. Michelin has LeMans locked up plus GT world wide and is in WRC/Desert with BF Goodrich. Cooper is in f3, IMSA Lites and now LeMans lmp. Cooper also has a big effort in UK/Europe with the Avon brand. Doesn’t leave many options for the development budget, even less options when you are talking an oval tire for a less than strong OW second tier draw to anything series. Korean companies seem to smart to waste money on top tier expense. Kumho passed on F1 and Hankook stays in the lower ranks. They focus on OEM supply and OEM replacement markets. They have both realized that marketing at sporting events like FIFA, MLS or Stadiums is more cost effective. Smart! I think Nexen is at Walmart now. Maybe they are interested in what OW racing has to offer now that control of all OW has been established in the hands of Indy. While there the IRL could offer a coupon for a outdated nascar shirt from the clearance rack. |
|
|
6 Mar 2011, 01:00 (Ref:2840856) | #6 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Also keep in mind Firestone is yanking support of "indy lights" as well.
|
|
__________________
Wolverines! |
6 Mar 2011, 04:14 (Ref:2840891) | #7 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 781
|
Losing such a great partner that did so much for promoting the sport is a real shame.
Losing the Magic Rings commercials, specifically, is not. |
|
|
7 Mar 2011, 03:47 (Ref:2841269) | #8 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 41
|
Jacques - I totally agree. I really didn't care for those ads creatively. However, I think they've been a model partner for IndyCar so I always gave them a pass.
|
||
|
7 Mar 2011, 16:02 (Ref:2841560) | #9 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,311
|
Cooper sponsored the Atlantics in their dying days, maybe they can be brought back to open wheelers again
|
||
__________________
It's time to switch to Whiskey, we've been drinking Beer all night - Corb Lund |
7 Mar 2011, 16:17 (Ref:2841568) | #10 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,536
|
Well diligent searching will uncover someone. I am not sure what tire companies aren't merged already to have any optionss...unless IMS Decides to create their own tires just for indy...time's wasting randy
|
||
__________________
SuperTrucks rule- end of story. Listen to my ramblings! Follow my twitter @davidAET I am shameless ... |
8 Mar 2011, 03:57 (Ref:2841925) | #11 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Quote:
With 2000 people at the season finale and Buttmaster infomercials outdrawing the league on TV, good luck finding a solid replacement that tips cash into the till. |
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
8 Mar 2011, 11:05 (Ref:2842033) | #12 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 130
|
Quote:
|
||
|
8 Mar 2011, 16:52 (Ref:2842207) | #13 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Quote:
I'm sure they will source tires from somewhere, but if anyone thinks they'll be as generous as Firestone, they are living in denial. Firestone spent a lot of money compared to what they got in return. The next thing to go boom is when Honda pulls the plug. |
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
9 Mar 2011, 15:03 (Ref:2842749) | #14 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
|
Here is the latest, courtesy of Robin Miller:
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...eep-firestone/ Don't know if Firestone even cares, but at least the owners said they are more thanwilling to pay more for tires if it keeps them around for 2012. Let's see if this gets any traction or not...no pun intended. |
||
__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
9 Mar 2011, 19:16 (Ref:2842919) | #15 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Quote:
Obviously the owners want Firestone to stick around, but I think the main sticking point for Firestone was their other associated costs, which most of that was going into the pockets of the irl. I would bet the decision to end Firestone's deal in the irl was taken over the head of Al Speyer. |
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
9 Mar 2011, 20:13 (Ref:2842955) | #16 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
|
Quote:
I think you're right about the other associated costs and the fact that the decision was probably made over Speyer's head... Will the owners' willingness to pay more for the product make a difference? Who knows? At least the offer and their willingness to do so can't hurt any more than not making an effort at all to try to keep Firestone around for 2012. They've got everything to gain and nothing to lose at this point, so why not try it? |
|||
__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
9 Mar 2011, 21:31 (Ref:2843001) | #17 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,299
|
|||
|
9 Mar 2011, 23:49 (Ref:2843104) | #18 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Quote:
But it seems the irl had their price, Firestone theirs and when Firestone wouldn't play, the irl said bye. Bugger the team owners. Who knows, Firestone may have bigger fish to fry. They've worked the patch of open wheel for 15 years, time to move on. Decision has been made and they're movin on. |
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
9 Mar 2011, 23:53 (Ref:2843108) | #19 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
9 Mar 2011, 23:57 (Ref:2843110) | #20 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,299
|
|||
|
10 Mar 2011, 02:16 (Ref:2843150) | #21 | |||
Race Official
20KPINAL
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,742
|
Quote:
This pretty much begs the question, which tyre manufacturer has the manufacturing capacity to supply both IndyCar and Indy Lights as they are both fairly well intergrated? |
|||
__________________
"If you're not winning you're not trying." Colin Chapman. |
10 Mar 2011, 07:02 (Ref:2843192) | #22 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,456
|
If IRL would wanted to change something they should turn it into an open concept where teams can buy each car component from the supplier they want, within some well thought technical regulation, of course.
I really start to dislike all this one make nonsense that is put forward under the cost cutting banner. And lets not forget the real competition that manufacturers would be in which would aid the markets as well as it creates concurrence. Todays race series remind a lot to the system called "controlled economy" that broke down a little over 20 years ago in my front porch. |
|
|
10 Mar 2011, 16:21 (Ref:2843452) | #23 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
|
Quote:
I think people are afraid of competition, but competition is what motorsport is all about. There are going to be winners and losers, and there are going to be people more talented or have brighter ideas than others. All these series want to "level the playing field" and by doing so they just make it boring and uninteresting. |
||
__________________
Wolverines! |
11 Mar 2011, 16:41 (Ref:2844048) | #24 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,711
|
Firestone staying till 2013 per NH Facebook posting:
Newman/Haas Racing Great news that Firestone will remain the sole tire supplier for the IZOD INDYCAR Series through 2013. We will post stories when they are available. http://www.indycar.com/news/show/55-...s-tracks-back/ BTW, don't expect to see NH in Indycar after this year. Last edited by HJJ; 11 Mar 2011 at 17:11. |
||
__________________
It's great to be here! |
11 Mar 2011, 18:07 (Ref:2844089) | #25 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,536
|
Well that's over. Now they have 2 years to entice or get a tire war going
|
||
__________________
SuperTrucks rule- end of story. Listen to my ramblings! Follow my twitter @davidAET I am shameless ... |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
IndyCar 2011 - Quebec & Qingdao | crozier74 | My Track Designs | 15 | 28 Nov 2011 05:21 |
2011 IndyCar silly season | NaBUru38 | Indycar Series | 544 | 23 Sep 2011 19:35 |
2011 British F3 off Season/Silly season news etc (merge) | NaBUru38 | National & International Single Seaters | 335 | 6 Apr 2011 21:39 |
2011 UK TV coverage - Sky to drop IndyCar? | jondownunder | Indycar Series | 23 | 8 Feb 2011 19:48 |
2011 IndyCar Series Schedule | DanicaFan | Indycar Series | 5 | 11 Sep 2010 01:03 |