Neil Bonnet's 1994 no. 51 Chevy

DON’T TREAD ON ME

The Great Debate: Goodyear v. Hoosier- Both, One or None in LMSC Competition?

JW Martin

The date was February 11, 1994. Years of healthy competition between tire companies Goodyear and Hoosier reached a summit at the top of turn four at Daytona International Speedway. Softer tires meant faster speeds, and as the pair of providers continued to best one another, the softer compounds contributed to frequent failures. Failures were a factor in driver injuries and, during the first practice session for the ’94 Daytona 500, a fatality.

There were no soft walls that day. No HANS device. And there were too many factors –like car setup- at work to pinpoint blame. But when the right front tire went down on the number 51 Country Time Lumina in the track’s final turn, a defining moment in history changed NASCAR’s future forever.

NASCAR had lost Neil Bonnett.

Bonnett’s passing that year was the beginning of the end of the sport’s tire wars. The James Finch owned pink and yellow Chevrolet had been racing on Hoosier tires that fateful day, and –although the tire brand made little difference in the outcome of the accident- the crash ultimately spelled the end of Hoosier’s presence in the sport’s top divisions. By the start of the 1995 season, Hoosier’s petition to waive the tire count rule had failed. Unable to bring enough tires to supply a 43 car field, the Indiana company was financially forced to exit from the top two series.

Two years later, an exclusivity agreement was reached between NASCAR and Goodyear, making the tire company the sole provider of NASCAR’s top divisions- a pact that has since been renewed to run through 2012. With competition no longer permitted, Hoosier was relegated to supplying lower racing divisions. In 1995, Hoosier became the lone provider of the ARCA series, and subsequently began to supply tires to a variety of racing outlets, including the World of Outlaws and the WHELEN All-American Series, which it still provides tires for today.

Tell ‘em Tony

By the end of the Kobalt Tools 500, Tony Stewart’s patience was worn as thin as the tread on his Goodyear Eagles.

“It was ridiculous to have to race on a tire like this today- not at this form of racing. If [Goodyear] can’t do any better than that they ought a just pull out of this sport…’cause I guarantee ya Hoosier or Firestone or somebody can come in and do a lot better job,” said a hot Stewart after the 2008 spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Later, in the media center, Stewart went on to clarify his position.

“It’s not up to us, it’s up to Goodyear, and the bad thing is they have an exclusive deal. They have no reason to push and make their product better because they have no competition.”

Stewart’s comments reveal key elements in the great debate on the tire wars. Is it better to have competition between tire companies? After all, that is the very essence of the sport. Should drivers have the option of which tire provider to use, and who would that be- Goodyear, Hoosier, or a supplier that has yet to grace the track in the modern era of NASCAR?

All are valid questions because the product in question is such a significant component to the sport of racing. And from Atlanta Motor Speedway to the Saturday night Late Model shootout at Motor Mile Speedway, the debate is equally substantial.

Truex’s tire opinion

Curtis Truex Jr. was one of only two drivers that had competed in both of the first two events at Motor Mile Speedway. The season opener was the first points race at the track, and the latter of the two contests was a UARA sanctioned event.

There weren’t many arguable differences in the pair of races; variables like the competition and the cars were similar. But there was one disparity between those races. Truex had raced on Hoosier tires in the season opener, but fastened to the number 88 for the UARA event were four Goodyear Eagles.

While the All-American series’ tire provider is Hoosier, the United Auto Racing Association’s tire preference is Goodyear. Asked his take on the difference, Truex responded;

“I really like the Goodyears compared to the Hoosiers. They don’t fall off as much, they’re more consistent. They’re just a better tire all around I think.”

Other drivers reach different conclusions where the rubber meets the road.

“Goodyear has a really tall tire with really stiff sidewalls. They’re really hard to drive,” explains second year LMSC driver Forrest Reynolds. “I enjoy the Hoosiers, it’s a better tire, and they make for a better race. They stay more consistent than what the Goodyears do- [Goodyears] fall off real fast.”

Reedy’s rebuttal

There aren’t many racers who are more knowledgeable about and have been around racing longer than Tink Reedy. The Roanoke, Va., native has been involved with the sport for more than twenty-five years. While Reedy’s humble opinion favors the Hoosier brand, the veteran driver yields a fairly unbiased sentiment.

“I’d just as soon stay on Hoosiers. They’re a little stickier, speeds will be a little faster, and they stay a little longer. Goodyear’s got a good tire, but they’re a little harder, speeds won’t be quite as fast on ‘em. But I think Hoosier would probably be the better tire as far as fans are concerned, with the speed they generate.”

And while everyone who has competed on more than one tire brand has a preference, perhaps the sport is best served to learn from its past, and maintain the status quo. At least, that’s the veteran’s opinion. Asked if drivers should have the choice;

“No. People usually get hurt when there’s a competition between tire companies. You just ask the Sprint Cup people- when they were playin’ with both Hoosier and Goodyear. So no, I think we let the individual tracks tell us what were gonna run and stay with it,” Reedy said.