OH-based Goodyear will not return as a race-tire
supplier to CART and the IRL, as the company said that it is
instead choosing to focus on its efforts in other forms of
auto racing, including NASCAR and the NHRA (Goodyear). In
IN, Robin Miller writes that it has been "speculated all
season that Goodyear would drop CART but remain in the IRL."
Goodyear, which has had a "36-year run in Indy cars," has
been "dominated in CART and held its own in the IRL," since
Bridgestone/Firestone "re-entered champ car racing" in '95.
IRL team owner A.J. Foyt said yesterday: "I would be very
surprised if Goodyear got out of the IRL. We've got tests
scheduled next month at DisneyWorld and I've got a multiyear
deal with them." Firestone Dir of Motorsports Al Speyer:
"CART doesn't surprise me because we've been seeing so many
indirect signs all year, like watching [TV] advertising go
away. ... But the IRL is a shock because Goodyear has about
half the teams, they won Indy two straight years, and they
almost won this year's title" (INDY STAR-NEWS, 10/26).
