After a number of tire-related issues at Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, the AP's Jenna Fryer writes Goodyear's tire development, "at times, is simply not acceptable." After drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski both had tire issues during the Hollywood Casino 400, Goodyear Dir of Race Tire Sales Greg Stucker "didn't have a definitive answer ... but sure seemed to be pointing the finger at the race teams." One would be "hard pressed to remember the last time a Firestone tire failed in an IndyCar race, and the drivers and teams consistently applaud the tiremaker for building strong compounds that everyone firmly believes to be safe." But in NASCAR, "a car slamming into a wall at 190 mph after a tire problem is a weekly occurrence that nobody seems to think is a problem." Goodyear is "the only player in the game and nobody wants to upset the apple cart." Fryer: "The time to tip it over is overdue. Everyone understands that Goodyear can't be 100 percent infallible but it's the manufacturer's responsibility to get it right, for the sake of the show, the safety of the competitors and for the championship race currently underway." Goodyear has "zero competition in NASCAR and no rival tiremaker pushing them to be better." That is "on NASCAR, which is quite content with one official partner." To listen to Goodyear officials, the company "never, ever comes up short at the race track," and NASCAR drivers are "very careful not to disparage" the company (AP, 10/6).
