Firestone's renewal comes on the heels of several other big deals for IndyCar bridestone americas
Firestone is extending its partnership with the NTT IndyCar Series through '25, which Bridgestone Americas Dir of Motorsports Lisa Boggs said that was a "reflection of what Firestone thinks of IndyCar's potential," according to Jim Ayello of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Firestone believes in the "momentum the series has [been] building over the past decade." In '17, Firestone extended its IndyCar deal through '20, but the latest extension "carries an expiration date much further into the future." Firestone is the latest of IndyCar's "major partnership announcements in recent months," with Hulman & Co. securing Speedway as the official fuel partner of the series, IMS and the Indianapolis 500; NTT Data becoming the series title sponsor; and insurance holding company Group 1001 branch Gainbridge becoming the presenting sponsor of the Indy 500 for the next four years. IndyCar President Jay Frye said that he "doesn't expect any other major extensions to be announced in the coming weeks," though extensions for the series' "remaining three key partners are in the works" (INDYSTAR.com, 2/6). MOTORSPORT.com's David Malsher noted Firestone will also "continue as a key marketing partner" of IndyCar, as it is the title sponsor for the season-opening race in St. Petersburg and the finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (MOTORSPORT.com, 2/6).
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: As part of the announcement of the extension, Firestone parent company Bridgestone is also revealing plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Akron that will serve as the future home of where it will build racing tires. Firestone is entering its 20th consecutive season as the sole tire supplier to the series, and its lineage in the series dates back to Ray Harroun winning the first Indy 500 in 1911 on tires made by the company (Adam Stern, THE DAILY).
