Goodyear is a month into the last year on its current deal to serve as NASCAR's official tire provider, and the two parties "finally have started negotiations on an extension," according to Nate Ryan of NBCSPORTS.com. The talks are coming "much later than the typical timeframe." The current deal was signed in October '11 -- "more than 15 months ahead of the end of its previous contract." With NASCAR last year being "devoted to finding a Cup Series title sponsor, Goodyear understandably was less of a priority." Goodyear GM of Worldwide Racing Stu Grant said, "The NASCAR guys had a lot on their plate. We had early discussions with NASCAR and agreed to put our extension on the back burner, but now we’re having discussions in earnest. We’re committed to NASCAR. NASCAR is committed to us. Our negotiations are going well." He added, "We’re in good shape.” Ryan noted it still is "clear that Goodyear now has some leverage." If the negotiations were to "hit a sticking point, NASCAR would seem to lack options," and finding a replacement "would be difficult." But there "don’t seem to be any stumbling blocks so far," and Grant "expects a new deal to be finalized by the season’s midpoint" (NBCSPORTS.com, 3/6).
