IRL: Nashville: Firestone preview

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK FAST FACTS
IndyCar Series

Firestone Indy 200
Nashville Superspeedway - Lebanon, Tenn.
July 13-14, 2007 - Round 11 of 17

Race Distance: 266 miles/428.08 km (200 laps on the 1.33-mile/2.14-km oval).

Television Broadcast: Live - Saturday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN.

Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied: 700 dry-condition slicks.

Each car receives eight sets (32 total tires) for the race weekend.

The left-side tires are the same specification that was previously used at this year's Indianapolis 500. The right-side tires are the same compound that was utilized at Nashville Superspeedway in 2006, with a slightly different construction. This year's setup should provide similar performance characteristics as the Firestone Firehawks that successfully conquered the challenge of Nashville's unique concrete surface last year.

Quote from Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "Firestone Racing is thrilled to return to our 'hometown track' for the seventh annual Firestone Indy 200. To be able to showcase the performance of our race tires in front of a packed house that includes thousands of our Middle Tennessee teammates, families and friends is truly fantastic, and we are so happy with the continued success of this event. Nashville Superspeedway's concrete surface always offers a unique test for our race tire engineers, but once again, that is what we are here for - to overcome challenges and continually develop and produce technologically advanced tires that meet varying demands under different circumstances. As ever, we are confident that the Firestone Firehawks will perform their duties well and will contribute to another evening of excitement on track as the championship points battle continues to tighten up."

Firestone Performance Award: This $10,000 prize commemorates Firestone's status as the only tire manufacturer to have participated in every IndyCar Series race, and it is given to the driver leading the lap number corresponding to the cumulative number of races in series history. The Firestone Indy 200 is the 145th IndyCar Series race, so the Firestone Performance Award will go to the driver who leads lap 145 of the 200-lap race.

-credit: firestone